May 04, (THEWILL) — Following the directive of President Bola Tinubu, governors on the platform of the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, have taken full charge of the conduct of rancour-free congresses in their respective states, in addition to anointing their successors through consensus method. So far, four states took the lead on the matter and afterwards sought validation by either the President or Vice President Kashim Shettima. The states are Borno, Lagos Ogun and Nasarawa.
In that order, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, was brought to a standstill at the weekend as thousands of jubilant supporters trooped out to welcome Governor Babagana Umara Zulum and his anointed governorship candidate, Engr Mustapha Gubio.
The crowd stretched from Muhammadu Buhari International Airport to major roads leading into the metropolis. Governor Zulum and his entourage were returning from a high-level meeting in the nation’s capital where he formally presented Engr Mustapha Gubio to Vice President Kashim Shettima.
During that closed-door session, Vice President Shettima, who was a former Borno State governor, gave his support, officially endorsing Gubio as the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus candidate for the governorship race in 2027. Addressing the crowd at the Government House, Zulum described the homecoming as “a testament to Borno’s unbroken unity and political maturity.”
Zulum unveiled Engr Mustapha Gubio as his preferred successor after purchasing the party’s Nomination and Expression of Interest forms for the 2027 governorship election on the APC platform last Monday. The governor noted that the choice of Gubio was to sustain the momentum of the ongoing developmental service delivery by his administration since 2019.
Also in his brief remarks, the anointed Candidate, Engr Gubio thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and Governor Babagana Zulum, as well stakeholders and the teaming Borno people for given him the opportunity to contest as Governor on the platform of the ruling APC. He pledged to consolidate on the modest achievements recorded under the present administration for the betterment of Borno and the country as a whole.
Zulum called on all and sundry to come and enmasse to vote for him and other candidates seeking various positions on the platform of the APC come 2027 general elections. On his entourage from Abuja include the Deputy Governor, Umar Usman Kadafur, the APC Deputy National Chairman, Ali Bukar Dalori, the former Governor, Maina Ma’aji Lawan, Senators Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Mohammed Ali Ndume and Kaka Shehu Lawan and the Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari.
Also part of Zulum’s entourage are the Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, some members of the National Assembly, and party stakeholders. In Lagos State where Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Governor Advisory Council endorsed his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, as the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election, Sanwo-Olu in a post on his X platform describing the President’s backing as a strong vote of confidence in Mr Hamzat’s leadership and capacity to lead the state.
“Femi has been a reliable partner and seeing him receive the President’s backing is a bold statement of trust, confidence and assurance by our leader, that he is truly the best man for the job,” the governor wrote. He added that the administration’s vision for Lagos would continue under Mr Hamzat, noting that while there is still much to be done, the direction of governance in the state remains clear.
Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat first assumed office as governor and deputy governor of Lagos State on May 29, 2019, following their victory in the governorship election under the APC. In March 2023, both men secured re-election for a second term under the APC platform and were sworn in on May 29, 2023, extending their mandate for another four years.
Hamzat, who has served as deputy governor since 2019, has played a central role in the administration. Before assuming office, he served as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure and Commissioner for Science and Technology in Lagos State.
Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, born September 19, 1964, is a Nigerian engineer and politician with a PhD in System Process Engineering, known for his technocratic approach to governance and involvement in policy implementation across key sectors. Sanwo-Olu’s statement hints at early political positioning ahead of the 2027 governorship race, although the APC is yet to conduct its primary election.
The next Lagos State governorship election is expected to be held in 2027, in line with Nigeria’s four-year electoral cycle, with political activities likely to intensify ahead of party primaries. Nasarawa state governor, Abdullahi Sule on Friday, April 17, 2026 led his anointed successor, Senator Aliyu Wadada to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he formally presented him to President Bola Tinubu as the consensus governorship candidate of the party in Nasarawa State.
Sule had made the announcement during a meeting with political appointees at the Nasarawa State Government House. He told the gathering that the process of identifying a successor had been ongoing for over a year, involving wide consultations that went beyond the boundaries of Nasarawa State. According to him, the consultations included discussions with foreign and prospective investors, youth groups, women organisations, traditional rulers, party officials and various stakeholders from across the state’s three senatorial zones, as well as selected members of his cabinet.
In Ogun State, the process proceeded with serious horse trading, given the rancorous primaries that produced Governor Dapo Abiodun and almost affected the fortunes of the party in 2019 and 2023. publicly endorsed Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as his preferred successor ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The governor who made the declaration of Adeola as consensus candidate during a stakeholders meeting of the APC, in Ogun State, described Adeola as the consensus choice to fly the party’s flag in the coming election.
“The decision reflects the collective will of party leaders in the state,” the governor said, adding that the APC had agreed on Adeola as the candidate “truly deserving” of leading Ogun State after his tenure. He further expressed confidence in a smooth transition, noting his pride in participating in the emergence of successive governors within the party.
Senator Adeola currently represents Ogun West in the National Assembly. His candidature may solve the Ogun West clamour for power shift, as the zone has not produced a governor since 1976. With Tinubu’s endorsement of the four anointed successors, the first hurdle to election has been cleared. Other governors on the platform of the party are likely to follow the same pattern in the weeks ahead.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
