The 2027 political race has gained momentum as more aspirants of the All Progressives Congress obtained their Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms on Wednesday.
The designated venue for the purchase of forms, Ladi Kwali Hall, Ballroom 2 of the Abuja Continental Hotel, was a beehive of activities as APC aspirants for presidential, governorship and National Assembly positions, some in person and others through their representatives, picked up their forms.
Inside the hall, Senate and House of Representatives aspirants were seen collecting their forms from the zonal desk, while the desk for governorship aspirants was positioned separately.
Wednesday’s flurry of activities affirmed the likelihood of direct primaries in some states, as those who have not been endorsed or anointed by their governors also displayed their forms and receipts of payment.
Among those who obtained forms on Wednesday were governorship aspirants in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli and former minister of power, Adebayo Adelabu.
Alli was accompanied by Yunus Akintunde, who is seeking to return to the Senate to represent Oyo Central, and Remi Oseni, who is contesting for the Oyo South senatorial ticket.
Also present were House of Representatives aspirants who picked up their nomination forms.
They include Akeem Adeyemi (Oyo Federal Constituency), Tajudeen Abisodun Kareem (Atisbo/Saki East/Saki West Federal Constituency), Akin Alabi (Egbeda/Ona Ara Federal Constituency), and Olamiju Alao-Akala (Ogbomoso South/Ogbomoso North/Orire Federal Constituency).
Speaking with journalists after obtaining his forms, Alli said his ambition to govern Oyo State is driven by a desire to deliver effective governance and address developmental gaps at the grassroots level.
“As Chief of Staff to former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, I was at the centre of governance, ensuring coordination and effective administration,” Alli said.
The two candidates are expected to slug it out in the governorship primaries scheduled for May 21.
The Lagos governorship race also gained momentum as Olajide Adediran, popularly called Jandor, also obtained his forms.
Adediran said his decision to contest, despite the resolution of some elders and party leaders endorsing the Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, was anchored on his determination to “contribute meaningfully to deepening our democracy and advancing our shared aspirations for a better society.”
He said, “While I respect the decisions of some of our elders and party leaders endorsing aspirants of their choice, I am guided by the official position of the party on direct primaries as communicated to all party members and aspirants alike.
“Should the party come up with the second option of nominating party candidates as enshrined in the Electoral Act 2026, I will surely align with and respect the supremacy of the party.”
Another Lagos APC aspirant, Dr Samuel Ajose, had earlier obtained his forms, insisting on the imperativeness of a level playing field for all aspirants in the state.
Ajose, through the Director-General of his campaign movement, Mr Biodun Coker, explained that his criticism of the endorsement of Hamzat by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Governance Advisory Council was premised on his belief that such must be done “in line with the principle of fairness to prevent rancour among the contenders.”
Former Lagos APC spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, also on Wednesday picked his forms to contest for the Mushin Constituency II seat in the House of Representatives.
Meanwhile, more aspirants also secured the endorsement of their political leaders, thereby rendering the ambitions of other aspirants an uphill battle.
In Lagos, the candidature of Hamzat was endorsed by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Hamzat was accompanied to the Villa by Sanwo-Olu and the Chairman of the Governance Advisory Council, Tajudeen Olusi.
Wednesday’s visit followed a wave of endorsements for Hamzat in the past 72 hours.
Hamzat, who addressed journalists after the meeting, said the delegation, led by Olusi, brought him to Abuja specifically to present him to the President.
He confirmed that the President had given both him and the GAC’s decision his blessing.
Hamzat said, “These are fathers, they are leaders, they’ve seen a lot of Christmases, they’ve seen a lot of Eid el-Kabir, so they have experience, and therefore I’m really, really excited that they brought me here to meet Mr President, and Mr President has blessed us and blessed the decision of GAC.”
Asked how ready he was for the assignment, Hamzat replied, “Nobody is ready because the assignment is audacious. But what you have is experience. Having served as deputy governor of Lagos under Governor Sanwo-Olu, I’ve learned a lot. I know the room. I know where the kitchen is.
“You know, if you want to cook for people and you don’t know the kitchen, it doesn’t matter how good a chef you are; you must know the kitchen.
“So with God’s blessings and the support of all my fathers here, I really don’t have any fear.”
Olusi, speaking to reporters at the Villa after the meeting, dismissed concerns raised by at least one other aspirant who challenged the legitimacy of the consensus process.
APC governorship aspirant Ajose had said the GAC’s endorsement would not stand, arguing it was being enforced on the party rather than emerging organically from the membership.
However, Olusi said, “We are in the arena of politics, and people are free to express their opinions in a free society.
“But I have been in politics for a very long time. I was part of the team that raised the system and have been part of every typical race. I know all the governors except one.
“It is part of the system that we come together, put our heads together and take a course of action. People are free to comment, but what they comment on is nothing compared to all of us.”
He clarified that despite the consensus endorsement, the APC would still conduct primaries for all positions in line with the party’s guidelines to provide a level playing field for all aspirants.
In Borno State, Governor Babagana Zulum anointed his Commissioner for Works, Mustapha Gubio, to succeed him in 2027.
In a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Dauda Iliya, Zulum said the decision to anoint Gubio was to sustain the momentum the state has experienced under his administration.
“I know how I came in as the Commissioner for RRR, and how the office shaped to set a governance standard that changed the lives of our citizenry.
“Gubio has been defined by similar discipline, courage, and an uncommon commitment to public service.
“He demonstrated exceptional capacity in overseeing critical infrastructure, particularly in housing development across metropolitan and rural communities, which has significantly contributed to improving living conditions in the state,” the statement noted.
“Beyond infrastructure, his public service profile is defined by a strong focus on rebuilding communities affected by insurgency.
“As Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, he spearheaded initiatives to restore essential services and public facilities in hard-hit areas.
“He is widely recognised for driving reconstruction efforts in conflict-affected communities such as Bama, Konduga, Damasak and Mafa Local Government Areas, ensuring the restoration of schools, healthcare facilities and other critical infrastructure,” the statement added.
The statement said the efforts aligned closely with Zulum’s broader vision of recovery, stability and sustainable development, making Gubio a natural choice to sustain ongoing progress.
“His dedication to rebuilding lives and communities, coupled with his proven administrative competence, underscores the confidence reposed in him to consolidate the gains already achieved and advance the development agenda of Borno State,” it stated.
In Yobe State, Senator Ibrahim Geidam, who chairs the critical stakeholders alongside the party caucus, on Wednesday announced Baba Mallam Wali as the anointed APC candidate in the state.
Geidam, a former governor and current Minister of Police Affairs, endorsed Wali as the APC candidate for the state’s governorship seat ahead of the next election cycle.
In a move seen as consolidating internal party alignment, Geidam, alongside other APC stakeholders in the state, publicly demonstrated support for Wali during a recent gathering.
A photograph obtained by The PUNCH showed Geidam and several party leaders raising Wali’s hand, a symbolic gesture widely interpreted as backing his candidacy.
Wali, a former Secretary to the State Government, is regarded as a key figure within the APC in Yobe State, with extensive experience in governance and administration.
Meanwhile, two major APC aspirants in the state, Senator Ibrahim Bomai and Kashim Tumsah, have purchased the party’s governorship nomination forms.
According to the party’s 2027 schedule of activities, the sale of forms was to begin on Saturday, April 25, and end on Saturday, May 2, 2026. However, the process commenced three days later than planned.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed the Presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 2027.
The commission also stated that party primaries, including the resolution of related disputes, will take place from April 23, 2026, to May 30, 2026.
INEC further announced that campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will commence on August 19, 2026, while those for governorship and state assembly elections will begin on September 9, 2026.
Those who obtained forms on Tuesday included President Bola Tinubu and his challenger in the APC, Stanley Osifo.
For governorship, Senator Solomon Adeola obtained forms for Ogun State and is to be challenged by a former commissioner in the state, Abayomi Semako Hunye, who also obtained forms, opposing the consensus candidate arrangement.
Yusuf Tuggar, the immediate past Minister of Foreign Affairs, obtained forms for the Bauchi State governorship race.
Former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, also obtained forms to contest the governorship in Nasarawa, while the endorsed candidate of Governor Abdullahi Sule, Ahmed Wadada, also purchased his forms.
Mustapha Gubio, immediate past Commissioner for Works and Housing in Borno State, obtained forms to contest the governorship, just as Mascot Uzor Kalu purchased governorship nomination forms for Abia State.
Tonye Cole purchased forms for Rivers State, while Femi Sanni (Araba), a civil engineer, obtained forms for Kwara State, and Bashir Bolarinwa, former APC chairman in Kwara State, also purchased governorship nomination and expression of interest forms.
Ogun APC protests
Members of the APC in Ijebu East Local Government Area on Wednesday staged a protest at the Governor’s Office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, rejecting what they described as an attempt to impose both the candidates for the House of Representatives and the House of Assembly on party members in the local government.
The protesters insisted that any candidate representing the federal constituency must emerge through a credible primary election and in line with the existing zoning arrangement within the districts.
The party faithful expressed dissatisfaction over what they termed a growing pattern of overlooking Ijebu East in the distribution of political offices within the federal constituency, which consists of the three local governments of Ijebu North, Ijebu East, and Ogun Waterside.
They claimed that the House of Representatives seat had been dominated by candidates from another local government for over a decade, adding that any attempt to extend such dominance ahead of the 2027 elections would be resisted.
Speaking during the protest, Mr Adewale Adeboye, popularly known as Jarrow, said that “We are not here for anything other than fairness. For about 12 years now, the House of Representatives has been occupied by the Ijebu North Local Government.
“There are indications it may be extended to 16 years. That is not acceptable to us. It is our turn, and that must be respected.”
Responding on behalf of the government, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr Oluwatoyin Taiwo, urged the protesters to remain calm, emphasising that the party operates within laid-down constitutional guidelines.
Dr Taiwo noted that candidate selection in the ruling party followed due process and was guided by internal party mechanisms, not mere speculation.
He further described the allegations as unverified, urging members to rely on credible information and engage party structures appropriately rather than resorting to protests.
