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Former governor Akinwunmi Ambode is making a comeback in political calculations as Lagos State’s 2027 general election gathers steam. Party power brokers are reportedly attempting to postpone Seyi Tinubu’s bid for governor till 2031.

With a number of well-known candidates, new power blocs, and an increasingly vocal electorate weighing in on the state’s future leadership, the race is expected to be among the most competitive in recent memory.

Many youth and expatriate organizations are promoting Seyi, 40, the son of President Bola Tinubu, as a possible candidate for the governorship of Lagos State.

He was encouraged to declare his interest in the race last year by groups including The Future Platform, the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders, and several Nigerian communities living abroad.

According to reports, the development put the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) in a difficult position because Seyi hasn’t made his intention public or gotten his father’s support.

It is anticipated that Lagos State would have a new governor by 2027 since Babajide Sanwo-Olu will be serving out his second term, which is authorized under the constitution.

In order to make room for Seyi Tinubu in 2031, there are rumors that the state’s influential people are thinking of having Ambode return and finish his second term.

Before the 2019 election, Ambode had a falling out with Tinubu and the leaders of the Lagos APC. As a result, Ambode was denied the APC ticket and lost the party’s primary to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who went on to win the governorship vote.

According to sources, the GAC members are currently attempting to postpone Seyi Tinubu’s bid for governor until 2031, citing the necessity of party continuity and strategic planning.

Seyi Tinubu was encouraged to maintain a low profile in order to focus on his father’s pursuit for a second term, despite his initial enthusiasm in the gubernatorial contest, the source told our correspondent.

“The party leadership viewed his ambition as a potential distraction to his father’s second-term dream, given the growing opposition to the current government,” Segun Badejo, an APC chieftain in Gbagada, told our reporter.

Former governors and deputy governors, former speakers of the Lagos State House of Assembly, current and former senators, and esteemed elder statesmen and women make up the GAC, a potent 30-member political organization headed by Prince Tajudeen Olusi and founded by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his time as Lagos State governor in 1999.

The rise of former governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode, as well as later Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was significantly influenced by the GAC.

A trustworthy insider claims that if President Tinubu is re-elected in 2027, he will finish his term by 2031, at which point Seyi Tinubu is anticipated to enter the Lagos governorship contest in order to continue his political legacy.

According to a different source, the Epe district’s resentment at the events leading up to Ambode’s removal from office was the cause.

Lagos State is administratively separated into five districts, known as IBILE: Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, and Lagos Island and Epe.

Notably, only Ambode, from Epe, was denied a second term; previous Lagos governors Tinubu, Fashola, and Sanwo-Olu all came from Lagos Island and served out their two mandates.

Stakeholders in Epe are dissatisfied with the way their local son, Ambode, was ousted from office as a result of this.

The people are still calling for the zone to be allowed to finish its term, even though Tinubu later rewarded Epe by appointing Tunji Alausa as Health Minister and then Education Minister.

Alausa or Ambode should replace incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2027, according to stakeholders who allege Epe has been politically marginalized.

When speaking with ZINGTIE, a top APC stakeholder in Ogba, Ikeja, who asked to remain anonymous, stated, “The idea is not to sideline Seyi Tinubu but to ensure he has a more stable runway.

“The party does not want a repeat of what happened in 2023 when the Labour Party defeated Tinubu in the state.

“Seyi needs to concentrate and mobilize the youth front for his father.

“Going for governorship would divide attention and that would also lead to public outcry.

“You know Nigeria is a very funny country, they may not stand the father as a president and his son as a governor. Right now, the consensus is that Ambode or Alausa has a better chance of carrying the party in 2027,” the source added.

The Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the speaker of the state assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, Tokunbo Abiru, and Abdul-Azeez Adediran, also known as Jandor, are among the heavyweights vying for the top spot, according to the ZINGTIE.

Olumide Balogun, a neighborhood leader, told ZINGTIE, “We have watched as other regions monopolised power. It’s time for Epe people to be heard. Either Tunji Alausa or Ambode should be our next governor.”

Edafe Oghenebrume, an observer, said that it would be disastrous if the Lagos APC did not produce a candidate for governor from the Lagos West Senatorial District.

He warned, “If Lagos APC fails to field a governorship candidate from Lagos West Senatorial district, there might be electoral challenges because since the emergence of democratic rule in 1999, West has been marginalized as regards the governorship seat.”

Only Jandor, a former PDP candidate who switched to the APC in October 2025, has openly stated that he wants to be governor.

“I believe Lagosians deserve a fresh vision, one that blends experience with innovation,” Jandor said in an interview with Channels Television.

“Having observed governance from both sides of the aisle, I am ready to offer solutions that reflect the people’s needs if I have a solid backing of Mr President and the party in Lagos State. It will be a walkover,” he added.

Voter perspective and public sentiment

Lagos residents and voters have been keenly observing the political maneuvers, and many have expressed a mixture of cautious optimism, skepticism, and exhilaration.

Mrs. Funke Adeyemi, an Ikeja store owner, stated, “It doesn’t matter who the party chooses. What we want is someone who will bring development, improve our roads, and secure jobs. Lagosians are tired of promises without action.”

Tunde Olanrewaju, another resident, emphasized stability and consistency.

“Ambode has governance experience, and Tinubu has political lineage. But we need practical policies, not just the spectacle of politics,” he said.

Younger voters seem eager to see a process that is more inclusive. Chidera Nwosu, a college student, stated, “We need a leader who listens to ordinary people, not just party elders. The next governor must have a vision that goes beyond political calculations.”

The path to 2027

“The party must reconcile all interests while projecting a candidate capable of winning in a competitive general election,” said Taiwo Akorede, a political strategist with knowledge of the party’s Kirikiri Town plan.

Lagos is preparing for the 2027 governorship election, which is expected to be one of the most intense and keenly followed in recent memory.

One thing is certain: Lagosians are keeping a close eye on the countdown to 2027.

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