As the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) successfully scaled the hurdles to elect ward, local government, and state executive committees across the country, the focus will soon shift to deeper internal politics and politicking to pick the party’s gubernatorial candidates ahead of the 2027 general election in line with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.
According to the rescheduled timetable released by INEC, the Governor Election will hold on February 6, 2027, after the Presidential Election on January 16, 2027.
Ahead of the elections, here are the potential candidates that may seek the governorship ticket of the APC in Lagos, Nigeria’s richest state, with a potential for over N200 billion monthly internally-generated revenue (IGR)
However, for any of them to pick the ticket, they need the endorsement of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), the â€kingmaker’ body of the ruling party in Lagos, whose final decision is often influenced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
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Femi Gbajabiamila
Gbajabiamila is a lawyer and seasoned politician who has played a prominent role in the country’s legislative and executive governance. Born on June 25, 1962, he studied law at the University of Lagos and later at John Marshall Law School in the United States, earning a Juris Doctor.
Gbajabiamila represented Surulere I Federal Constituency of Lagos State in the House of Representatives for nearly two decades (2003–2023). He served as Minority Leader and later Majority Leader before emerging as Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023.
As Speaker, he championed legislative reforms, youth-focused bills, and closer executive–legislative collaboration.
In 2023, he was appointed Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, transitioning from the legislature to the executive arm of government. He is widely regarded as a key political strategist within Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He is a key member of President Tinubu’s kitchen cabinet and commands the respect of his people in Surulere.
Tunji Alausa
Tunji Alausa (born 18 April 1965) is a medical doctor and Nigeria’s current Minister of Education, appointed by President Bola Tinubu on 23 October 2024, after serving as Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare.
A Lagos-born nephrology specialist educated at the University of Lagos, he trained and practised in the UK and the US before entering public service. Since taking the education portfolio, Alausa has championed data-driven reforms, simplified curricula, expanded vocational and digital learning, addressed out-of-school children, and ended lingering university strikes.
Akinwunmi Ambode
Akinwunmi Ambode is an accomplished accountant, civil servant, and politician who served as Governor of Lagos State from 2015 to 2019.
Born on June 14, 1963, he rose through the ranks of the Lagos civil service, becoming Accountant-General of the state before entering partisan politics under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
As governor, Ambode focused on infrastructure renewal, security enhancement, and environmental reforms, including road construction, school upgrades, and the expansion of public transportation.
Despite notable projects, he lost his party’s re-election ticket in 2018, marking a rare one-term governorship in Lagos politics.
BusinessDay gathers that several interests within the GAC are pushing for Ambode’s return for a single four-year term.
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Hakkem Muri-Okunola
Hakeem Muri-Okunola (born 7 January 1972) is a lawyer, public administrator and technocrat.
Hakeem was appointed the Head of Service of Lagos State from December 2018 to September 2023, becoming one of the youngest to hold the position in the state’s civil service. Prior to that, he rose through roles, including Permanent Secretary and Executive Secretary at the Lagos Lands Bureau. Before his full integration into the state civil service, Muri-Okunola was Personal Assistant to then-Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Muri-Okunola’s tenure saw reforms in land administration and public service delivery. After retiring from the Lagos Civil Service in 2023, he was appointed Principal Secretary to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a position he currently occupies.
Mudashiru Obasa
Mudashiru Obasa is a lawyer and seasoned politician who has served as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly since 2015.
Born on November 11, 1972, he represents Agege Constituency I in the Assembly and is a prominent figure in Lagos politics.
Obasa began his legislative career in 2007 and steadily rose through the ranks, earning a reputation as a strategic lawmaker and strong party loyalist.
As Speaker, he has presided over key legislative reforms, budget approvals, and oversight functions that shape governance in Lagos State.
In 2025, Obasa faced one of the toughest moments in his political career when his colleagues impeached and removed him as speaker while outside Nigeria.
Upon his return to the country, Obasa fought a relentless and disrupted battle and reclaimed his speakership position, making him the longest-serving speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
His leadership has drawn both commendation and criticism, reflecting his influence in the state’s political landscape.
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Tokunbo Abiru
Tokunbo Abiru is a banker-turned-politician serving currently representing the Lagos East Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate, having first won a bye-election in December 2020 under the All Progressives Congress (APC) banner to replace the late Adebayo Osinowo, who was popularly known as “Pepper”.
Born Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru on March 25, 1964, Abiru holds a BSc in Economics from Lagos State University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He also attended Lagos Business School and Harvard Business School.
Before politics, Abiru had a distinguished banking career, including executive roles at First Bank and as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank. In the Senate, he chairs the Committee on Banking, Insurance & Other Financial Institutions and was elected Chairman of the Southern Senators’ Forum.
