The All Progressives Congress (APC) is reportedly moving toward a consensus arrangement to endorse Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, as its governorship candidate for the 2027 Lagos State election.
The party is also said to favour Senator Olamilekan Adeola, known as Yayi, for Ogun State, and Senator Sharafadeen Alli for Oyo State. These decisions reportedly emerged from a meeting between APC stakeholders from Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo with President Bola Tinubu at his Lagos residence on Sunday night.
The meeting followed the Eid el-Fitr celebrations, attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima and 23 governors. Discussions focused on candidate selection and party strategy ahead of next year’s general elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the Presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, with governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections set for February 6. Parties are expected to conduct primaries between April and May 2026, either through consensus or direct primaries, as allowed by the amended 2026 Electoral Act.
Consensus Approach and Party Deliberations
The APC traditionally favours a consensus approach, emphasising candidate popularity and electability. At the Lagos meeting, sources said Hamzat, Yayi, and Alli were selected after lengthy deliberations, taking into account their standing in their respective states.
The meeting reportedly acknowledged dissenting voices and agreed to offer compensations to affected aspirants to ensure a smooth consensus process. In Lagos, for example, Minister of Education Tunji Alausa remains an aspirant but has reportedly decided to stay in office rather than resign to pursue the governorship at this time. Other aspirants include Gbajabiamila, former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, and several top state officials.
In Ogun State, the choice of Yayi reportedly conflicts with Governor Dapo Abiodun’s preference for Senator Shaibu Afolabi Salisu. Discussions are ongoing on compensating Salisu while paving the way for former Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s senatorial ambitions.
In Oyo State, Alli enjoys broad support, including from the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja. Other notable aspirants include Teslim Folarin, Minister of Power Bayo Adelabu, former Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan, and several others. Sources at the meeting noted that Adelabu’s lack of popularity and previous electoral defeats made him a less viable candidate, positioning Alli as the most acceptable choice across party factions.
APC’s Position on Consensus and Incumbents
Deputy National Organising Secretary Nze Chidi Duru said that while the party favours consensus, aspirants are free to test their popularity through primaries. He noted that incumbents who have performed well should be given the “first right of refusal” to seek a second term, a principle anchored on performance, party ideology, and the need to deliver on party manifestos.
Concerns About Imposition
Critics, including the Nigerian Political Science Association and the Coalition of United Political Parties, have warned that some consensus decisions in Nigeria are imposed rather than genuinely agreed upon, undermining democratic fairness. NPSA President Professor Hassan Saliu stated that forced consensus is not true democracy, while CUPP’s Mark Adebayo emphasised that the practice often breeds internal conflicts.
Duru, however, defended the approach, pointing to constitutional provisions that allow governors and the president to seek a second term. He argued that party members would understand and respect this principle, noting that the APC aims to balance fairness, performance, and strategic electability.
The APC is expected to finalise key decisions on candidate selection, party structure, and election strategy during its national convention in Abuja from March 27 to 28, 2026.
