APC Aspirant Rejects GAC’s Early Hamzat Endorsement

LAGOS, Nigeria — Samuel Ajose, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, has declared that the endorsement of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election will not stand.

The Governance Advisory Council, GAC, regarded as the apex decision-making body of the APC in Lagos, endorsed Hamzat following a closed-door meeting at Lagos House, Marina.

GAC leader Tajudeen Olusi announced the decision after the session, stating that members unanimously agreed on Hamzat as the candidate best positioned to continue the state’s developmental strides.

Olusi said the meeting focused on preparations for the party’s forthcoming primaries and the need to assess contenders for the governorship race early.

However, Ajose, who also nurses ambition for the seat, dismissed the move while speaking on Arise News on Tuesday.

He argued that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the GAC were attempting to coerce President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into accepting the endorsement as a fait accompli.

“I don’t think our president, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is giving in to what they are doing,” Ajose said.

“What they are just trying to do is to coerce him into taking a decision, and I don’t think that decision will stand,” he added.

The development underscores the early jostling for power within Lagos APC as the 2027 elections approach, a period that often tests internal party cohesion in Nigeria’s commercial capital.

Lagos remains a strategic stronghold for the ruling party, with its massive voter base and economic influence shaping national political calculations.

Ajose’s position highlights lingering tensions despite the GAC’s attempt to rally behind a single candidate.

As the race for Alausa intensifies, stakeholders will be watching closely how President Tinubu, the national leader of the APC, responds to the unfolding dynamics.

The endorsement and subsequent pushback signal that the battle for Lagos 2027 may yet witness more internal realignments before the party settles on a candidate.