Lagos 2027: Hamzat’s Head Start, Rhodes-Vivour’s Challenge and Opposition’s Equation
The 2027 governorship election in Lagos State is shaping up as a consequential contest between an entrenched political establishment and an increasingly assertive opposition. With All Progressives Congress’ Obafemi Hamzat
The 2027 Lagos governorship election is set to be a consequential contest between the established All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, and the assertive opposition candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Hamzat enjoys the advantages of party structure, political continuity, and institutional memory, as he has served as a commissioner and deputy governor since 2019.
Rhodes-Vivour, on the other hand, seeks to build on his strong 2023 showing and convert Lagos' changing political mood into a coalition that could challenge the APC's long-standing hold on power.
While Hamzat has a significant advantage as the clear frontrunner, Rhodes-Vivour's strongest asset is his opposition brand. His 312,329 votes in 2023 demonstrated that the APC could be seriously challenged in Lagos when the opposition mobilised a large urban, youth-oriented and reform-minded constituency. Rhodes-Vivour argues that his political structure has expanded since 2023 and that his campaign now relies more heavily on grassroots organisation and community engagement.
However, the presence of Peter Obi and the broader Obidient movement from the 2023 campaign will not be present in 2027, creating a strategic challenge for Rhodes-Vivour to convert his movement into a united opposition coalition.
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