2027: Lagos APC, ADC, NDC, others trade confidence as guber race gathers momentum

As the 2027 general election approaches, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State is intensifying its preparations, formally activating its campaign machinery and charging members to begin mobilisation. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been appointed chairman of the party's newly inaugurated campaign council, which includes Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as deputy chairman and former Senator Musiliu Obanikoro as director-general.

The campaign structure also encompasses directorates for party and inter-party affairs, logistics, traditional institutions, residents' associations, and grassroots coordination, with plans to deploy the machinery across the state's senatorial districts, local government areas, wards, and polling units.

Despite the formal structure, APC leaders are challenging opposition parties to prove their organisational capacity. According to an APC chieftain, the activities of opposition parties so far have not convinced him of their readiness for the election. He emphasised that political campaigns cannot be won merely through media appearances but require grassroots mobilisation. The APC's advantage lies in its established structures across the state, which the chieftain believes will be activated as the election draws closer.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), on the other hand, is also making preparations for the governorship election. The party has presented Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour as its candidate, with Gbadamosi Babatunde Olalere as his running mate. Rhodes-Vivour, a former Labour Party candidate, is focusing on issues such as flooding, housing, and traffic.

He has also questioned the eligibility of APC candidate Obafemi Hamzat, an issue that gained prominence during the 2023 election litigation. The ADC emphasises that its campaign is focused on taking its message to communities and building support, rather than merely engaging in media appearances.