The race for political dominance in Alimosho, Nigeria’s most populous local government area, is heating up ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa; former Deputy Governor and Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; and former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, emerging as key players.
Alimosho, long regarded as the political heartbeat of Lagos, has historically delivered decisive votes for the ruling party. In 2003, it was pivotal in securing Governor Bola Tinubu’s re-election, with Aregbesola then leading the campaign machinery.
However, Aregbesola’s recent exit from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where he now serves as national secretary, has shifted the balance of power. His departure opened the door for new heavyweights, including Obasa and Orelope-Adefulire, to consolidate their grip on the constituency in support of President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Orelope-Adefulire, a princess of the Alimosho royal family and influential member of the Lagos Governance Advisory Council (GAC), is now the apex APC leader in the constituency. She has been holding meetings with stakeholders to counter any opposition inroads and rally support for Tinubu.
Obasa, meanwhile, has been described as an emerging political force in Tinubu’s camp. With speculation about a possible governorship bid, the Lagos Speaker has maintained that his political future rests with party leadership, while stressing loyalty to APC’s hierarchy.
Aregbesola, once Tinubu’s ally, has become one of APC’s fiercest critics. He has accused APC, PDP, and LP of failing Nigerians, and is mobilising grassroots support for ADC as an alternative. His campaigns in Alimosho and other LGAs have been met with resistance, including violent attacks on ADC gatherings allegedly carried out by political thugs. The APC has denied involvement, dismissing the accusations as excuses by a “divided opposition.”
The tussle has also seen moves to weaken Aregbesola’s influence. Last year, the Lagos Assembly suspended his loyalist and Alimosho LGA chairman, Jelili Sulaimon, over allegations of misconduct, replacing him with a pro-Tinubu vice chairman.
Observers say the battle for Alimosho is shaping up into a defining contest for Lagos politics in 2027, with APC striving to maintain dominance while the ADC seeks to capitalise on grassroots discontent.
For now, Alimosho remains the prize. Whether it will stay “Tinubu’s Country” or tilt towards the opposition remains to be seen.
