News
Lagos Guber: Seyi Tinubu, Gbajabiamila, Alausa, Obasa, Others Top List As Search Begins
The race to succeed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2027 is gradually gaining momentum, with political stakeholders and groups across Lagos State already rooting for their preferred candidates.
Among those generating buzz is Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
DAILY POST observed that a growing number of party faithful and influential figures are backing him, with popular Nollywood actor and lawmaker, Desmond Elliot, reportedly leading a ‘silent’ push for Gbajabiamila to emerge as the APC flagbearer in the next gubernatorial election.
Supporters are said to be banking on his close ties to the President and long-standing political experience, which they believe make him a strong contender.
“Gbajabiamila is not just a seasoned legislator. Now as Chief of Staff to the President, he has added executive experience.
“That’s the kind of leadership Lagos needs,” said Famous Oloyede, an APC chieftain from Surulere.
However, some party members believe that by 2027, Gbajabiamila, who will be 64, may be too old to govern a complex and fast-moving state like Lagos.
“He should stay back in Abuja and continue supporting the President. Lagos needs someone younger; and besides, it’s time another administrative district takes the seat,” a senior party source told DAILY POST.
Lagos State is organised into five administrative districts, collectively called IBILE, namely Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island, and Epe.
Notably, the last four governors of the state, Bola Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, have all hailed from either Lagos Island or Epe.
Even Alhaji Lateef Jakande, the state’s first civilian governor, identified as a native of Lagos Island.
The clamour for 2027 is not one-sided. Stakeholders from Epe, a region that once produced former governor Akinwunmi Ambode, are also pressing for political rebalancing.
Following Ambode’s fallout with the APC leadership, many indigenes believe Epe has been marginalised in the state’s power structure.
As a result, attention has shifted to the current Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, who hails from Epe. Many locals view him as a competent and loyal figure capable of restoring Epe’s influence in Lagos politics.
“Epe has been marginalised for years,” said Olugbede Adekalu, a strong APC member.
“Ambode was not allowed to complete his second term, unlike others before him. It’s time to correct that injustice,” he said.
Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Mudashiru Obasa, is also being quietly touted by political and religious circles.
A notable Islamic cleric recently expressed support for Obasa’s candidacy, citing his legislative experience and grassroots popularity.
While Obasa has yet to make a formal declaration, he recently made a subtle remark that has further fueled speculations.
Speaking during a public engagement, the Speaker said, “Also, becoming governor is secondary; it is something that I have not given serious consideration. Nevertheless, that does not mean I am too young or lack experience to run; whereas, those who have been before me are not better off.”
Observers believe Obasa’s statement was a calculated message to signal openness to the race without making an outright announcement.
Also making the rounds is the name of Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu.
While he has not publicly declared interest, speculations are rife, with several diaspora groups reportedly rooting for him.
This development has placed the party and the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the highest decision-making body of the APC in Lagos, in a dilemma, especially as President Tinubu has remained silent despite the growing clamour for his son’s potential candidacy.
In addition to the growing field of aspirants, fresh agitations are emerging from Ikorodu, one of Lagos State’s largest administrative districts under the IBILE structure.
Despite the fact that the current Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, hails from Iga Egbe, a traditional compound within the Ikorodu Division, many stakeholders are insisting the district is yet to be adequately represented at the top.
According to party insiders, there is mounting support for either Rep Babajimi Benson or Hamzat himself to emerge as the next governor.
However, should neither of them clinch the ticket, strong lobbying is ongoing for Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, former House of Representatives member and current Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, to be considered for the position of deputy governor, especially if the governorship goes to another district.
“Ikorodu deserves a real shot at the governorship. It’s one of the most loyal and populated zones in Lagos, yet we’ve never truly had our turn,” said a party source.
While some argued that Ikorodu had a brief taste of power through Abiodun Ogunleye, who served as deputy governor during Tinubu’s administration, a party member countered that Ogunleye’s tenure, just 14 days between May 15 and May 29, 2007, was too short to be considered meaningful representation.
A party insider from Ogolonto, a community in Ikorodu, stated:
“Ogunleye’s 14-day tenure was purely symbolic. You can’t call that real representation. That’s not power-sharing, it was a token gesture. Ikorodu deserves more than a fleeting appointment.
“Serving just 14 days as deputy governor hardly qualifies as meaningful leadership. Ikorodu deserves more than a fleeting appointment.”
Reflecting growing calls for more equitable power rotation across Lagos, some party members have maintained that adjoining districts long overlooked deserve a turn in the executive seat.
“Power should shift to Badagry now. They’ve never produced either a governor since 1999,” another party member told DAILY POST.
Another name quietly gaining traction within APC circles is that of Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo (Tokunbo) Abiru, who currently represents Lagos East Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
This district encompasses the local government areas of Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Ikorodu, Kosofe and Somolu
With many zones clamouring for recognition and no clear frontrunner emerging yet, one thing is clear: the contest for the soul of Lagos in 2027 will be one of the most keenly watched and hotly contested in the state’s recent political history.
President Bola Tinubu met with security chiefs, including Tunji Disu, the inspector-general of police (IGP) in a closed-door session on Thursday to address a series of “rising terror attacks” across the country.
The meeting followed an escalation in violence, including recent deadly raids in Benue, Plateau, and Borno states.
The nearly two-hour meeting, held at the State House in Abuja, began in the afternoon after the security chiefs arrived discreetly and ended around 5:10 p.m.
Those in attendance included Christopher Musa, minister of defence; Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser (NSA); Adeola Ajayi, the director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS); and Olufemi Oluyede, chief of defence staff (CDS).
Others were Waidi Shaibu, the chief of army staff; Kelvin Aneke, chief of air staff; and Idi Abbas, chief of naval staff.
As of the time of filing this report, details of the meeting had yet to be issued by the presidency.
However, there are indications that the sit-down may centre around the rising terror attacks and intensified assaults on military outposts across Nigeria, particularly in the north-east, which culminated in the recent killing of several high-ranking officers.
On Monday, a commanding officer of the Nigerian Army was killed following an attack by suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on a military base in Kukawa, Borno state.
The attack came about a week after suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters attempted to attack military positions in Ngoshe, Gwoza LGA of Borno.
On Tuesday, Nigerian troops repelled an early-morning attack by suspected ISWAP fighters on a military base in Doron Baga, Kukawa LGA of the state.
Speaking during an interfaith breaking of the fast with members of the Nigerian Armed Forces at the presidential villa in Abuja last Friday, Tinubu said the country would “ultimately prevail against all forms” of insecurity.
The president said the efforts of the security forces had continued to weaken terrorist groups and bandits operating in different parts of the country.
He assured the armed forces of continued investment in modern equipment, intelligence, and logistics to strengthen their operational effectiveness.
In a major political shake-up on Thursday,12 members of the House of Representatives formally defected from their various political parties to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, announced the defections during a plenary session, citing internal party crises and leadership disputes as the primary reasons for the lawmakers’ exit.
Of the 12 lawmakers who defected, six left the Peoples Democratic Party for the APC. Five members abandoned the Labour Party and the PDP for the ADC, while one member moved from the Young Progressives Party to the ADC.
The development has heightened concerns about growing instability within political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Those who defected from the PDP to the APC are James Barka (Adamawa), Kwamoti Bitrus Laori (Adamawa), Zakaria Nyampa (Adamawa), Kobis Thimnu (Adamawa), Midala Balami (Borno), and Mohammed Bargaja (Sokoto).
Lawmakers who defected to the ADC include Afam Victor Ogene (Anambra), Peter Aniekwe (Anambra), Lilian Orogbu (Anambra), Jessey Onakalusi (Lagos), and Murphy Osaro Omoruyi (Edo).
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over plenary, disclosed that some other members had also written to the leadership of the House notifying it of their intention to leave their current parties.
He, however, said the letters and the destination parties of the lawmakers would not be disclosed in their absence.
While announcing the names of the defectors, Kalu said the reasons given by the lawmakers were similar to those previously cited by others who had defected. He added that the House would not read the letters during the session in order to save time.
According to him, the letters would only be read when the concerned lawmakers are present on the floor of the House.
During Wednesday’s plenary, Garba Inuwa and Abdullahi El-Rasheed from Gombe, as well as Mohammed Audu (Taraba) and Joshua Obika (FCT), defected to the APC, while Adewale Adebayo (Osun) left the PDP for the Accord Party.
In a series of tense exchanges spanning late 2025 and early 2026, Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly warned Donald Trump and the international community that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already escalated into the beginning of World War III due to Russian aggression and its growing alliances.
While Zelensky has warned that Vladimir Putin’s actions are dragging the world into a global conflict, Trump has frequently flipped this narrative, accusing Zelensky of “gambling with World War Three” by refusing to make immediate concessions for a peace deal.
“I said that we would have World War III. The President (Trump) didn’t hear me…him with his guys,” Zelensky said in a televised interview on Wednesday.
“I’m not sure they (the United States) can estimate that Russia will support Iran with weapons, drones, and missiles. And—100 percent—it’s helping now with air defense.”
Pointing to the situation in his country, Zelensky said the next stage of the Iranian war could be troop deployment, saying there are 10,000 North Korean soldiers currently in Russia.
“Yes, they are on the territory of Russia, but they can come to Ukraine,” he presumed. “It can be the same with Iran; Russia can send troops.”
Zelensky said countries in the Middle East have remained neutral on the Ukrainian conflict because of their long history of economic relations with Moscow.
“They understand Russia is the aggressor but are not loud about it or strong on sanctions,” he said. “Now they are beginning to understand what it means to live under attacks.”
Reports in Western media suggest Russia is sharing drone warfare strategy learned in Ukraine with Iran, potentially boosting Tehran’s ability to hit U.S. and Gulf interests in the Middle East.
The war, now on Day 13, has affected at least a dozen countries, with no ceasefire indication in sight. The U.S. has struck thousands of targets and has not indicated boots on the ground.
“They (Iran) are pretty much at the end of the line,” President Trump said Wednesday night. “It doesn’t mean we’re going to end it immediately.”
Terror Surge: Tinubu Demands Results from Security Chiefs
2027 Shakeup: 12 Lawmakers Defect To APC, ADC
World War III Fears: Zelensky Reveals Warning To Trump
Tensions Rise As Makoko Communities Vow To Resist Relocation Order
Union Bank Of Nigeria Marks International Women’s Month 2026 With Inclusion-First “Give to Gain” Campaign
IWD: Fidelity Bank Signs MoU with Partners, Launch ‘Give Her Power’ Initiative to Empower Nigerian Women
Just In: Dangote Refinery Announces Petrol, Diesel Price Reduction
Drama At Rivers Assembly Over Nominee’s ‘I don’t pay tax’ Statement
Rotimi Salami In Tears As ‘Kilanko’ Struggles At Box Office
