Ahead of the 2027 general elections, several pro-All Progressives Congress (APC) support groups in Lagos State have started mobilizing support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election. They are also advocating for the return of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for a second term as governor of Lagos.
This development follows the recent endorsement of President Tinubu by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the APC during its meeting in Abuja last Wednesday. At the meeting, party leaders expressed overwhelming confidence in Tinubu’s leadership. The endorsement was met with chants of “No vacancy in Aso Rock” and the traditional “On your mandate, we stand” song, which has been associated with Tinubu for years.
Following the NEC resolution, some support groups, including the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu National Forum, hailed the decision. They stated that the vote of confidence reflected the belief that Nigeria was in safe hands under Tinubu’s leadership. They also called for Ambode’s return as Lagos governor when Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s tenure concludes in 2027.
Dr. Jide Fashola, the National Director General of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu National Forum, emphasized that both President Tinubu and former Governor Ambode had demonstrated capable governance. He argued that Lagos and Nigeria had been stable under their leadership and would continue on a path of progress if they remained in power.
Fashola urged the APC leadership to offer Ambode the right of first refusal for the party’s gubernatorial ticket in 2027. He claimed that allowing Ambode to return would ensure continuity in the developmental projects initiated during his first tenure. Ambode served as governor of Lagos State from 2015 to 2019 but did not secure the APC ticket for a second term, losing out to Sanwo-Olu.
The group also expressed optimism that Nigerians would soon experience the benefits of Tinubu’s economic and political reforms. It stated that the policies implemented under Tinubu’s administration would yield positive results in the coming months, bringing relief to citizens.
As political activities gain momentum ahead of 2027, the calls for both Tinubu’s re-election and Ambode’s return indicate early moves within APC’s Lagos chapter. The party’s leadership is yet to make any official statement regarding Ambode’s potential return, but his supporters believe he remains a strong contender.
