Former Lagos governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has failed to win support from the mainstream of the All Progressives Congress, APC for his 2027 governorship bid with party insiders revealing that he narrowly missed out after intense consultations within the influential Governance Advisory Council.
Prime Citizens gathered that Ambode had quietly re-entered the succession equation on the strength of his performance record in office and residual sympathy over his controversial ouster ahead of the 2019 election. For weeks, his name reportedly gained traction among some stakeholders who argued that he deserved a second chance after what they described as a politically engineered humiliation.
However, that momentum was ultimately blunted by resistance from a critical bloc within the GAC, where memories of his strained relationship with party leaders during his first tenure remained fresh.
Multiple sources said the 2027 contest, which also featured strong considerations for figures like Kadri Obafemi Hamzat and Hakeem Muri-Okunola, narrowed down to a delicate internal balancing act within the party hierarchy.
Despite late lobbying from his supporters, Ambode was said to have been edged out in what one insider described as “a very tight call.”
“It was close, but the trust issue came up again. That was the deciding factor,” a source familiar with the consultations said.
The development echoes the events of 2018 when Ambode, despite being a sitting governor, lost the APC ticket, a move widely attributed to disaffection among party leaders who accused him of being inaccessible and insufficiently aligned with the party structure.
The Tinubu Factor Still Decisive
As in the past, the influence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu loomed large over the process.
While no official pronouncement was made, party insiders said the direction of the contest became clearer once signals from Tinubu’s camp began to favour alternative options.
The eventual emergence of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2019 had similarly followed a shift in elite consensus, reinforcing the central role of party leadership in determining succession outcomes in Lagos.
Religious Balancing Enters The Equation
Beyond personality and political alignment, another factor said to have weighed heavily in the 2027 calculations is the question of religious balancing.
Sources within the party disclosed that there is growing pressure among stakeholders for a return to a Muslim governor after what would amount to 12 consecutive years of Christian leadership in the state, from Ambode’s tenure (2015–2019) through the expected completion of Sanwo-Olu’s administration in 2027.
This consideration, it was gathered, further complicated Ambode’s path back to the ticket, as party strategists weighed the need to maintain internal equilibrium and reflect broader political sensitivities within Lagos’ diverse population.
Crowded Field, Structured Outcome
Apart from Ambode, Hamzat and Muri-Okunola, other names that surfaced in early permutations include Mudashiru Obasa, Femi Gbajabiamila, and Abdul-Azeez Adediran, among others.
However, as has become characteristic of Lagos APC politics, insiders say the ultimate decision rested less on open contestation and more on consensus-building within the party’s power structure.
A Familiar Lesson For 2027
For observers, Ambode’s near comeback — and ultimate rejection — reinforces a long-standing principle in Lagos politics: performance alone is not enough.
His experience, both in 2018 and now in the unfolding 2027 calculations, underscores the enduring importance of alignment with party leadership, stakeholder management, and sensitivity to broader political considerations, including zoning and religious balance.
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