A former Lagos governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, has withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship race ahead of the 2027 election, in a move that comes amid mounting support for Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat.
Mr Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, announced his withdrawal on Thursday, a day after Mr Hamzat was presented to President Bola Tinubu by the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) as the party’s consensus candidate.
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The development marks a shift in the dynamics of the Lagos APC succession race, which has seen a wave of endorsements for Mr Hamzat by key party figures.
On Thursday, former governor Akinwunmi Ambode publicly backed Mr Hamzat, reinforcing an earlier endorsement by President Tinubu and support from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
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“I join my fellow members of the All Progressives Congress to congratulate my brother and friend, Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, on his emergence as the Consensus Governorship Candidate of our great party, the APC,” Mr Ambode said.
“Your deliberate and purposeful consultations with the Party hierarchy and all members of the Party have demonstrated you are a true Party man committed to the Party’s ideals and values of Unity and Progress.”
Mr Ambode added that Mr Hamzat’s adoption reflects “loyalty, hardwork and dedication to the party for over two decades,” expressing confidence that Lagos would benefit from his “wealth of experience and skills in governance.”
Shift in race
Mr Adediran, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in 2023, defected to the APC last year and had only recently declared his intention to seek the party’s ticket.
His withdrawal follows days of internal consultations and alignments within the ruling party, as leaders coalesce around Mr Hamzat.
Before exiting the race, Mr Adediran had called for a competitive primary, warning against the imposition of a candidate.
“We note the ongoing speculations alleging that a preferred aspirant has been anointed; we restate that no aspirant has been anointed and that all aspirants will participate in a credible primary election,” he said in an earlier statement.
Details of the circumstances surrounding his withdrawal were not immediately available as of press time.
Mr Hamzat’s emergence has been shaped by endorsements from influential party stakeholders, including members of the GAC led by Tajudeen Olusi.
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President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed on Wednesday that the president endorsed Mr Hamzat during a meeting with the council and Governor Sanwo-Olu.
In a post on X, Mr Hamzat described the endorsement as a vote of confidence.
“I am indeed very grateful for the vote of confidence and endorsement. I am fully aware of the responsibility it carries,” he wrote, adding that he remains committed to building on the developmental foundation laid in Lagos.
Although endorsements have historically influenced outcomes in Lagos APC primaries, party sources maintain that the process remains open.
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