Di All Progressives Congress (APC) don begin serious plan to use consensus method pick dia governorship candidates for Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo states ahead of 2027 election. According to inside sources wey talk to journalists, di party stakeholders don agree to support Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, for Lagos governorship ticket.
For Ogun State, di stakeholders dey favor Senator Olamilekan Adeola, wey dem dey call Yayi, wey be Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations and represent Ogun West. For Oyo State, di choice fall on Senator Sharafadeen Alli, wey represent Oyo South Senatorial District. Dis decisions come after meeting wey President Bola Tinubu hold with APC stakeholders from di three states for Lagos on Sunday night.
Di meeting happen after President Tinubu host Vice President Kashim Shettima and 23 governors for Eid-el-Fitr celebration for im Lagos residence. Sources say di President and South-West party leaders hold closed-door meeting to discuss strategy for 2027 elections. One source wey talk anonymously say, “Di choices of Hamzat, Yayi, and Alli come after long discussion with di President, wey consider di opinion of everybody wey dey present and di popularity of di candidates for dia respective states.”
Di Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) don already release timetable for 2027 elections. Presidential and National Assembly elections go hold January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections go hold February 6, 2027. INEC say political parties must conduct dia primaries between April and May 2026. Under di amended Electoral Act 2026, parties fit select candidates through consensus arrangements or direct primaries.
APC traditionally prefer consensus model because dem believe e dey produce candidates wey people accept well. For di meeting, many top party leaders dey present, including Chief of Staff to di President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele; Governors Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, and Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti; and Executive Chairman of Nigeria Revenue Service, Zaccheaus Adedeji.
But di consensus plan no dey without some wahala. For Lagos, Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, still dey lobby to emerge as consensus candidate. Other aspirants wey dey eye Lagos governorship ticket include Gbajabiamila, former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, Chief of Staff to Governor Sanwo-Olu, Tayo Ayinde, Private Secretary to di President, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, Jide Adediran (Jandor), and Samuel Ajose (SMA).
For Ogun State, di choice of Yayi dey clash with Governor Dapo Abiodun preference. Sources say di governor dey back Senator Shaibu Afolabi Salisu of Ogun Central because of im role for Abiodun 2019 election. However, former governor and party leader, Chief Olusegun Osoba, no support dis choice. Reports also suggest say former Governor Ibikunle Amosun may contest for Ogun Central senatorial seat for 2027, and Governor Abiodun dey find way to compensate Salisu while making way for Amosun.
For Oyo State, di choice of Alli get strong backing from many APC stakeholders and di Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, wey be former governor of di state. Alli before serve as Secretary to Oyo State Government and Chief of Staff under Ladoja before becoming chairman of Odu’a Investment and later senator. Di meeting also consider Remi Oseni, member of House of Representatives representing Ido/Ibarapa East, as strong contender because of im grassroots support.
Di meeting agree to offer Oseni di Oyo South Senate seat as compensation, acknowledging im support base of over 200,000 members. Discussions also note say Alli may serve only one term as governor to allow candidate from outside Ibadan zone to emerge for 2031. Other APC aspirants wey dey eye Oyo governorship seat include 2023 governorship candidate Teslim Folarin, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, Minister of Power Bayo Adelabu, former Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan, lawyer Akeem Agbaje, former Minister Adebayo Shittu, former Health Commissioner Azeez Adeduntan, Saheed Oladele, Gbenga Adegbola, and Kunle Busari.
Concerns dey about Minister of Power Bayo Adelabu ambition. Sources say im no get popularity to win governorship against candidate of incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde. Di meeting note say Oyo State chapter of APC dey divided over Adelabu candidacy, and Alli be di only aspirant wey all factions dey accept. Adelabu before run for 2023 governorship on Accord platform against Teslim Folarin of APC. For 2019 election, im endorsement by late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi polarize di party, and Adelabu eventually lose to Makinde.
Adelabu don return to APC and get ministerial position, but those in Folarin camp never really benefit from Federal Government appointments. Sources say dem advise Adelabu not to resign from cabinet without securing firm support within di party. “Im no fit just resign like dat without assurance say im go be consensus candidate of di party. Once im resign, di President go appoint replacement, and im no get chance to return to cabinet,” one source explain.
Stakeholders from Oyo State go meet for Abuja on Friday, March 27 to deliberate on compensations for other aspirants before Alli formally declare im governorship bid. Di report to di President no mark di end of di process, as underground consultations dey ongoing nationwide to secure buy-in from all aspirants. “APC believe in consensus over direct primaries,” one source say, adding say “Direct primary be strenuous process, but all aspirants go dey accommodated for spirit of fairness and justice.”
Deputy National Organising Secretary of APC, Nze Chidi Duru, say while di party may lean toward consensus arrangements, dem no go shut door against aspirants wey want test dia popularity through primary elections. Im explain say di approach align with democratic principles and global political practice, especially where incumbent officeholders dey seek re-election. Duru say, “E no be say we go likely have consensus. Dat be indication of APC being democratic party. But if e happen say member of di party want throw im hat for ring? Im more than welcome.”
Di APC chieftain note say “first right of refusal” principle dey anchor on performance, party ideology and need to present candidates wey fit deliver on party manifesto. On whether di arrangement fit extend to governorship and other elective positions, Duru say im support granting incumbents opportunity to seek second term. “E be my personal view say executives wey don do one term and get opportunity for second term make dem grant dem right of first refusal for reasons wey I don talk,” im add.
Meanwhile, di Nigerian Political Science Association and Coalition of United Political Parties accuse Nigerian politicians of prioritizing imposed decisions over genuine consensus. NPSA president, Professor Hassan Saliu, emphasize say while consensus dey positive when sincerely achieved, im express concern say Nigeria dey currently witness imposition of candidates instead of genuine agreements. Im state, “If truly dem achieve consensus, I no see anything bad for inside. But once dissent dey, even from one person, di wall of consensus go break down.”
CUPP publicity secretary, Mark Adebayo, state say consensus should remain internal matter for political parties, noting say for Nigeria, common practice be imposition of candidates. Im state, “Consensus, for me, should be internal party matter. If political party choose to adopt consensus approach for selecting im candidate for election, nobody should begrudge di party. Wetin dey define as consensus for Nigeria often different. Frequently, person for top simply declare, handpick, announce and even impose candidate for position.”
Duru address concerns say automatic tickets for incumbents fit trigger internal discontent, pointing to constitutional provisions wey allow elected executives to seek second term. Im say, “E no be for nothing say Constitution provide possibility for elected executive governors and President of di country to run for second term. I believe say party members go always understand say once e be constitutional provision, you no fit deny or exclude possibility of re-election.”
Debate over consensus candidacy versus direct primaries remain recurring issue within Nigerian political parties, often pitting party leadership against grassroots aspirants wey dey find level playing field. Duru comments come ahead of APC national convention wey schedule to hold for Abuja from March 27 to March 28, 2026, where key decisions on party structure, strategy and preparations for future elections go dey taken.
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