Former governor Akinwunmi Ambode is making a comeback in political calculations as Lagos State’s 2027 general election gathers steam. Party power brokers are reportedly attempting to postpone Seyi Tinubu’s bid for governor till 2031.
With a number of well-known candidates, new power blocs, and an increasingly vocal electorate weighing in on the state’s future leadership, the race is expected to be among the most competitive in recent memory.
Many youth and expatriate organizations are promoting Seyi, 40, the son of President Bola Tinubu, as a possible candidate for the governorship of Lagos State.
He was encouraged to declare his interest in the race last year by groups including The Future Platform, the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders, and several Nigerian communities living abroad.
According to reports, the development put the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) in a difficult position because Seyi hasn’t made his intention public or gotten his father’s support.
It is anticipated that Lagos State would have a new governor by 2027 since Babajide Sanwo-Olu will be serving out his second term, which is authorized under the constitution.
In order to make room for Seyi Tinubu in 2031, there are rumors that the state’s influential people are thinking of having Ambode return and finish his second term.
Before the 2019 election, Ambode had a falling out with Tinubu and the leaders of the Lagos APC. As a result, Ambode was denied the APC ticket and lost the party’s primary to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who went on to win the governorship vote.
According to sources, the GAC members are currently attempting to postpone Seyi Tinubu’s bid for governor until 2031, citing the necessity of party continuity and strategic planning.
Seyi Tinubu was encouraged to maintain a low profile in order to focus on his father’s pursuit for a second term, despite his initial enthusiasm in the gubernatorial contest, the source told our correspondent.
“Given the growing opposition to the current government, the party leadership saw his ambition as a potential distraction to his father’s second-term dream,” Segun Badejo, an APC leader in Gbagada, told our correspondent.
Former governors and deputy governors, former speakers of the Lagos State House of Assembly, current and former senators, and esteemed elder statesmen and women make up the GAC, a potent 30-member political organization headed by Prince Tajudeen Olusi and founded by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his time as Lagos State governor in 1999.
The rise of former governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode, as well as later Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was significantly influenced by the GAC.
A trustworthy insider claims that if President Tinubu is re-elected in 2027, he will finish his term by 2031, at which point Seyi Tinubu is anticipated to enter the Lagos governorship contest in order to continue his political legacy.
According to a different source, the Epe district’s resentment at the events leading up to Ambode’s removal from office was the cause.
Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island, and Epe are the five districts that make up Lagos State’s administrative division, which is referred to as IBILE.
Notably, only Ambode, from Epe, was denied a second term; previous Lagos governors Tinubu, Fashola, and Sanwo-Olu all came from Lagos Island and served out their two mandates.
Stakeholders in Epe are dissatisfied with the way their local son, Ambode, was ousted from office as a result of this.
The people are still calling for the zone to be allowed to finish its term, even though Tinubu later rewarded Epe by appointing Tunji Alausa as Health Minister and then Education Minister.
Alausa or Ambode should replace incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2027, according to stakeholders who allege Epe has been politically marginalized.
“The idea is not to sideline Seyi Tinubu but to ensure he has a more stable runway,” said a prominent APC stakeholder in Ogba, Ikeja, who asked to remain anonymous.
The Labour Party’s victory against Tinubu in the state in 2023 is something the party does not want to happen again.
For his father, Seyi must focus and organize the youth front.
“Running for governor would cause controversy and divide attention.”
Nigeria is a hilarious nation; they might not tolerate a father serving as president and his son serving as governor. Ambode or Alausa are currently thought to have a greater chance of winning the party in 2027, the source continued.
Heavyweights like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s chief of staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the state assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, Tokunbo Abiru, and Abdul-Azeez Adediran, also known as Jandor, are reportedly vying for the top spot in Lagos’ 2027 field.
“We have watched as other regions monopolized power,” said Olumide Balogun, a community leader. It’s time to give Epe people a voice. Ambode or Tunji Alausa ought to be our next governor.
Edafe Oghenebrume, an observer, said that it would be disastrous if the Lagos APC did not produce a candidate for governor from the Lagos West Senatorial District.
“There might be electoral challenges if Lagos APC fails to field a governorship candidate from Lagos West Senatorial district because West has been marginalized as regards the governorship seat since the emergence of democratic rule in 1999,” he cautioned.
Only Jandor, a former PDP candidate who switched to the APC in October 2025, has openly stated that he wants to be governor.
In an interview with Channels Television, Jandor stated, “I think Lagosians deserve a fresh vision, one that blends experience with innovation.”
“If I have the firm support of Mr. President and the Lagos State party, I am prepared to offer solutions that reflect the needs of the people, having seen governance from both sides of the aisle.” He continued, “It will be a walkover.
Voter perspective and public sentiment
Lagos residents and voters have been keenly observing the political maneuvers, and many have expressed a mixture of cautious optimism, skepticism, and exhilaration.
“It doesn’t matter who the party chooses,” stated Mrs. Funke Adeyemi, an Ikeja store owner. We are looking for someone who will secure jobs, fix our roads, and bring about prosperity. Lagosians are fed up with empty promises.
Tunde Olanrewaju, another resident, emphasized stability and consistency.
Tinubu has political ancestry, while Ambode has experience in governing. But we need real policies, not simply political showmanship,” he stated.
Younger voters seem eager to see a process that is more inclusive. “We need a leader who listens to ordinary people, not just party elders,” stated Chidera Nwosu, a university student. Beyond political calculations, the next governor ought to have a vision.
The path to 2027
“The party must reconcile all interests while projecting a candidate capable of winning in a competitive general election,” said Taiwo Akorede, a political strategist with knowledge of the party’s Kirikiri Town plan.
Lagos is preparing for the 2027 governorship election, which is expected to be one of the most intense and keenly followed in recent memory.
One thing is certain: Lagosians are keeping a close eye on the countdown to 2027.
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