As the 2027 general election approaches, the race for the Lagos State governorship seat has begun with the former Governor Akinwumi Ambode; the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa; the senator representing Lagos East, Tokunbo Abiru; the current Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat and President Bola Tinubu’s Principal Secretary, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, as the likely contenders, THISDAY has learnt.

THISDAY gathered that while the final decision rests with Tinubu, some of these potential contenders have begun consultations with the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Reacting to speculations on his undeclared ambition, Alausa had recently dismissed reports that he was planning to resign from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to pursue a governorship bid in Lagos State ahead of the 2027 general election.

But sources close to the minister stated that he is one of the governorship hopefuls.

Tunji Alausa

Alausa is a trusted technocrat and cabinet member of Tinubu’s administration.

As President Tinubu’s personal doctor in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) days, he played a crucial role in supporting NADECO chieftains who fled Nigeria during the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha. He is a key part of his governing team, having been appointed first as Minister of State for Health and later redeployed as Minister of Education, reflecting the president’s confidence in his reform-driven approach and policy execution.

Tokunbo Abiru

Abiru is a Nigerian banker-turned-politician who currently serves as the Senator representing Lagos East and chairs the Senate Committee on Banking. Before politics, he built a strong career In finance, including serving as Lagos State Commissioner for Finance and later as the CEO of Polaris Bank.

His connection to Tinubu is primarily political and structural. Abiru is widely regarded as a loyal member of Tinubu’s political network in Lagos, which many describe as the “Lagos political machinery.”

Obafemi Hamzat

Hamzat is the current Deputy Governor of Lagos State and a long-standing technocrat within the Lagos political system. An engineer by training, he has served in key roles, including Commissioner for Science and Technology under Bola Tinubu and later Commissioner for Works under Babatunde Fashola.

His closeness to Tinubu is best described as institutional loyalty built over time. Tinubu brought him into government in 2005, and since then, Hamzat has remained within the same political circle, consistently trusted and retained across administrations aligned with Tinubu.

Akinwunmi Ambode

Ambode is a former Governor of Lagos State (2015–2019) and a seasoned accountant who rose through the Lagos civil service, eventually becoming the state’s Accountant-General before entering politics.

Tinubu backed Ambode’s emergence as governor, seeing him as a capable technocrat to continue the governance model he established. However, the relationship later deteriorated over political and structural disagreements, leading to the withdrawal of Tinubu’s support, most notably when Ambode failed to secure a second-term ticket within the ruling party.

Ambode and the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, yesterday held a rally for Tinubu, calling on Nigerians to support the re-election of the president in 2027, citing his ongoing reforms and economic policies as key to national development.

The duo made the call during an interfaith prayer session organised by The Mandate Movement and held in the Ikeja area of the state to commemorate President Tinubu’s 74th birthday.

In his remarks, Ambode praised Tinubu’s leadership and legacy, urging Nigerians to rally behind the President’s re-election bid.

“President Tinubu’s commitment to Nigeria’s progress is commendable, and it is our collective duty to support him so that the nation can fully reap the benefits of his reforms,” Ambode said.

He added that the President had stabilised the country and its economy, expressing confidence that Nigeria would continue to prosper under his administration.

Hekeem Muri-Okunola

Muri-Okunola is a senior Nigerian bureaucrat who served as the Head of Service of Lagos State and later moved to the presidency as Principal Secretary to the President. He comes from a prominent Lagos family and built his career within the state’s civil service, gaining a reputation for administrative efficiency and discretion.

His relationship with Tinubu is rooted in long-standing institutional trust and proximity to the Lagos power structure. Though not a political figure, Muri-Okunola has operated within Tinubu’s governance ecosystem for years and is widely regarded as part of his trusted inner administrative circle, someone relied upon for coordination, continuity, and execution at the highest levels of government. (THISDAY, excluding headline)

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