APC weighs succession options ahead of 2027
As preparations for the 2027 general election gather pace, fresh calculations are emerging within the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with former governor Akinwunmi Ambode returning to succession discussions and moves underway to defer Seyi Tinubu’s governorship ambition to 2031.
Multiple party sources said the thinking among key power brokers is driven by electoral strategy, internal balance and concerns over public perception as Lagos prepares for a post–Babajide Sanwo-Olu era.
Seyi Tinubu endorsements trigger internal debate
Seyi Tinubu, 40, son of President Bola Tinubu, has been touted by several youth and diaspora groups as a potential governorship contender.
Over the past year, organisations including the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders and The Future Platform, as well as some diaspora-based groups, publicly urged him to join the race.
Party insiders said the endorsements unsettled the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), as Seyi Tinubu has neither declared interest nor received public backing from his father.
Ambode comeback under consideration
Sanwo-Olu is expected to complete his second and final term in 2027, opening the field for a new governor.
According to party sources, the GAC is considering allowing Ambode to return for a second term in 2027, a move seen as creating space for Seyi Tinubu to contest in 2031.
Ambode lost the APC ticket ahead of the 2019 election after falling out with party leaders and was replaced by Sanwo-Olu, who went on to win the governorship.
Strategy linked to Tinubu’s re-election bid
A senior APC figure said Seyi Tinubu was earlier advised to lower his political profile and focus on supporting President Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
“The party leadership viewed his ambition as a potential distraction to his father’s second-term bid,” said Segun Badejo, an APC chieftain in Gbagada.
Another source said party leaders were also wary of public backlash over the optics of a father serving as president while his son governs Lagos.
Epe factor and zoning concerns resurface
Ambode’s possible return is also linked to discontent in Epe, his home district, over his removal after one term.
Lagos is administratively divided into five districts Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island and Epe, collectively known as IBILE.
While Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola and Sanwo-Olu, all from Lagos Island, completed two terms, Ambode from Epe did not, fuelling claims of marginalisation.
Stakeholders from Epe are demanding that the zone be allowed to complete its tenure, pushing either Ambode or former health minister Tunji Alausa as successor in 2027.
GAC’s influence remains central
The GAC, established by President Tinubu in 1999 and chaired by Prince Tajudeen Olusi, has historically played a decisive role in producing Lagos governors.
Its members include former governors and deputies, past speakers, senators and senior party elders.
Sources said the council’s current focus is maintaining party cohesion and electoral strength amid rising opposition.
Crowded field already taking shape
The 2027 race is shaping up as one of Lagos’ most competitive, with several heavyweights being mentioned.
They include Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa; Senator Tokunbo Abiru; and Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor).
Only Jandor, who defected to the APC in October 2025, has publicly declared his ambition.
Voters watch closely
Residents across the state say performance, not pedigree, will shape their choices.
A trader in Ikeja, Funke Adeyemi, said Lagosians want “development, jobs and better roads, not politics without results.”
A university student, Chidera Nwosu, said younger voters want “leaders who listen beyond party elders.”
Road to 2027
Party strategists say reconciliation and zoning will be crucial as Lagos APC seeks to retain power.
With succession battles intensifying and voter expectations rising, the race to 2027 is fast becoming one of the most closely watched political contests in the state’s recent history.
