As preparations for the 2027 general election intensify in Lagos State, former governor Akinwunmi Ambode is gradually returning to the political spotlight, with indications that key party power brokers are considering his comeback while pushing Seyi Tinubu’s governorship ambition to 2031.
The 2027 Lagos governorship race is shaping up to be one of the most fiercely contested in the state’s political history, as prominent aspirants, emerging power blocs and an increasingly vocal electorate debate the future direction of the state.
Seyi Tinubu, 40, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been tipped by several youth and diaspora groups as a potential contender for the governorship. In the past year, organisations including the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders, The Future Platform and some Nigerian groups abroad publicly encouraged him to declare interest in the race.
However, these endorsements reportedly placed the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) in a difficult position, as Seyi has neither formally declared his ambition nor received any public backing from his father.
By 2027, Lagos will require a new governor, with incumbent Babajide Sanwo-Olu set to complete his constitutionally permitted second term. Nonetheless, political insiders suggest that party leaders are weighing the option of allowing Ambode to return for a second term, thereby creating space for Seyi Tinubu to contest in 2031.
Ambode, it will be recalled, fell out with President Tinubu and Lagos APC leaders ahead of the 2019 election, losing the party’s governorship ticket to Sanwo-Olu, who eventually won the election.
Sources within the party say members of the GAC are working to delay Seyi Tinubu’s governorship bid, citing the need for strategic planning, party stability and continuity.
According to one source, although Seyi Tinubu initially showed interest in the governorship race, he was advised to maintain a low profile and focus on supporting his father’s second-term ambition.
“The party leadership felt his governorship ambition could distract from his father’s re-election push, especially with the growing opposition to the current administration,” said Segun Badejo, an APC chieftain in Gbagada.
The GAC, a powerful 30-member body established by President Tinubu in 1999 during his tenure as Lagos governor, is led by Prince Tajudeen Olusi. Its membership includes former governors and deputies, past speakers of the Lagos State House of Assembly, serving and former senators, and respected party elders. The council played a decisive role in the emergence of former governors Bola Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode and the incumbent, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
A party insider noted that if President Tinubu secures re-election in 2027 and completes his tenure by 2031, Seyi Tinubu is widely expected to enter the Lagos governorship race to consolidate his father’s political legacy.
Another factor influencing the calculation is lingering resentment in the Epe division over Ambode’s removal from office. Lagos State is administratively divided into five districts — Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island and Epe — collectively known as IBILE.
While Tinubu, Fashola and Sanwo-Olu, all from Lagos Island, completed two terms each, Ambode, who hails from Epe, was denied a second term. This has fuelled dissatisfaction among stakeholders in Epe, who believe their zone was unfairly treated.
Although the appointment of Tunji Alausa, an indigene of Epe, as Health Minister and later Education Minister was seen as compensation, many in the area insist that the district deserves the opportunity to complete its term through either Ambode or Alausa in 2027.
A senior APC stakeholder in Ogba, Ikeja, who spoke anonymously, said the plan is not to sideline Seyi Tinubu but to position him for a smoother political transition.
“The party wants to avoid a repeat of the 2023 scenario, when the Labour Party defeated Tinubu in Lagos. Seyi needs to focus on mobilising the youth for his father. A governorship bid now could divide attention and trigger public backlash. The feeling is that Ambode or Alausa stands a better chance for the party in 2027,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the 2027 race is already attracting heavyweights, including President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa; Senator Tokunbo Abiru; and Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor.
A community leader, Olumide Balogun, echoed the Epe sentiment, insisting that the district deserves the next governor. Political observer Edafe Oghenebrume also warned that failure to field a candidate from Lagos West Senatorial District could spell trouble for the APC, given long-standing concerns of marginalisation.
So far, only Jandor, who defected from the PDP to the APC in October 2025, has publicly declared his intention to contest.
As Lagosians closely monitor the unfolding political maneuvers, public opinion remains divided, with residents calling for competence, inclusiveness and practical governance over political calculations.
With the countdown to 2027 officially underway, all eyes remain fixed on how the ruling party will balance competing interests and ultimately shape the future leadership of Nigeria’s commercial capital.