The All Progressives Congress is intensifying moves to adopt a consensus arrangement for its 2027 governorship tickets in key South-West states, with Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, emerging as the leading choice for Lagos.
Party insiders revealed that stakeholders are also favouring Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, for Ogun State, and Sharafadeen Alli for Oyo State, as part of a broader strategy to position the party strongly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The decisions were said to have crystallised during a high-level meeting between President Bola Tinubu and APC stakeholders from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states, held in Lagos on Sunday night, shortly after Eid-el-Fitr engagements. The President had earlier hosted Vice President Kashim Shettima and several governors at his residence before convening a more focused political meeting with South-West leaders.
Sources with direct knowledge of the deliberations described the meeting as lengthy and strategic, with discussions centred on candidate selection, party unity and electoral viability. One insider disclosed that the preference for Hamzat, Adeola and Alli followed extensive consultations and was influenced by their perceived popularity and acceptability across their respective states.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has already fixed January 16, 2027 for Presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027. According to the electoral timetable, party primaries are expected to take place between April and May 2026, with candidates emerging before the end of May.
Under the Electoral Act, political parties may adopt either consensus arrangements or direct primaries in selecting candidates. The APC, however, has historically leaned toward consensus, arguing that it promotes cohesion and enhances the chances of electoral victory.
President Tinubu, who returned to Lagos after a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom, is said to be using the Sallah period to engage in critical political consultations, particularly on succession plans in the South-West, where Lagos, Ogun and Oyo are the only states scheduled for governorship elections in 2027.
Multiple sources confirmed that the report presented to the President had been prepared during an earlier meeting at the residence of Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, in Abuja about two weeks prior. The Lagos meeting reportedly reviewed the recommendations, considered dissenting views and agreed to pursue a consensus arrangement that would provide what one source described as a “soft landing” for other aspirants.
Despite the emerging consensus, the Lagos governorship race remains crowded. Among those reportedly jostling for the APC ticket are Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa; Chief of Staff to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Tayo Ayinde; Senator representing Lagos East, Tokunbo Abiru; and former PDP governorship candidate, Jide Adediran, among others.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, is also said to be lobbying strongly for the ticket. However, sources dismissed reports that he may resign his position to pursue the governorship, noting that he has chosen to remain in office while aligning with the administration’s Renewed Hope agenda.
In Ogun State, the endorsement of Adeola is already generating internal tension. Governor Dapo Abiodun is believed to favour Senator Shaibu Afolabi Salisu of Ogun Central, citing his role in the governor’s emergence in 2019. However, former governor and party leader, Olusegun Osoba, is said not to support Salisu’s candidacy.
Complicating the situation further are indications that former Governor Ibikunle Amosun may contest for the Ogun Central senatorial seat in 2027, a move that could displace Salisu and force the party to negotiate compensatory arrangements.
In Oyo State, the emergence of Alli appears to enjoy broader acceptance among party stakeholders. Sources said his candidacy has the backing of influential figures, including the Olubadan of Ibadan, Rashidi Ladoja. Alli, a former Secretary to the State Government and Chief of Staff under Ladoja, is seen as a unifying figure capable of bridging internal divides.
However, the meeting also recognised the growing influence of federal lawmaker Remi Oseni, described as a strong grassroots mobiliser with a support base exceeding 200,000 members. Sources disclosed that as part of ongoing negotiations, Oseni may be offered the Oyo South senatorial ticket as compensation, while discussions are also considering a possible one-term arrangement for Alli to allow power rotation beyond the Ibadan zone by 2031.
Several other aspirants remain in contention in Oyo, including the party’s 2023 governorship candidate, Teslim Folarin; Senator Abdulfatai Buhari; former Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan; Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu; and former Communications Minister Adebayo Shittu, among others.
Adelabu’s candidacy, however, drew significant concern during the meeting. Multiple sources indicated that stakeholders questioned his electoral viability, citing weak grassroots support and divisions within the party. His performance in previous elections, including the 2023 governorship race and a recent by-election reportedly influenced by him but lost to the opposition, was referenced as evidence of limited political strength.
Insiders further revealed that Adelabu has been advised against resigning from his ministerial position without securing firm backing from the President, noting that such a move could jeopardise both his political and administrative standing.
Stakeholders from Oyo State are expected to reconvene in Abuja in the coming days to deliberate further on compensation strategies and build consensus ahead of formal declarations by aspirants.
Despite the party’s inclination toward consensus, APC officials insist that the process will remain inclusive. Deputy National Organising Secretary, Chidi Duru, stated that while consensus is a preferred mechanism, aspirants willing to test their popularity through primaries will not be excluded.
He explained that the principle aligns with democratic norms, adding that incumbents and widely accepted candidates are often given the right of first refusal in line with global political practices.
However, the move toward consensus has drawn criticism from political analysts and civil society groups. The Nigerian Political Science Association warned that consensus must be genuinely negotiated and not imposed, stressing that even a single dissenting voice undermines its legitimacy.
Similarly, the Coalition of United Political Parties argued that what is often described as consensus in Nigeria frequently amounts to imposition by party elites, a practice that fuels internal conflicts and weakens democratic processes.
As the APC prepares for its national convention in Abuja, where key decisions on party structure and strategy are expected, consultations are continuing across the country to secure buy-in from stakeholders and aspirants.
For now, the party’s push for consensus in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo underscores a broader effort to maintain unity and avoid the internal crises that have historically trailed primary elections, even as debates over fairness, inclusion and internal democracy persist within its ranks.
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