Agege Stadium came alive with political activities as thousands of faithful and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) gathered to affirm incumbent Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, as the party’s consensus governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
The event also witnessed the official affirmation of candidates who emerged victorious in the Lagos State House of Assembly primaries conducted a day earlier.
During a call-and-response session with party supporters, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, asked the crowd to identify the candidates they voted for in the primaries.
The names of High Chief Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi and Barrister Azeez Oladapo Ninalowo echoed across the stadium.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) subsequently announced Egunjobi, the immediate past Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government Area, and Ninalowo as winners of Agege Constituencies I and II respectively.
Egunjobi secured 10,126 votes, while Ninalowo polled 12,455 votes.
Both candidates had earlier emerged as consensus aspirants during a caucus meeting of the party presided over by Obasa last Tuesday.
Speaking after the exercise, Obasa declared that all decisions taken by the party reflected the collective will of its members.
“We’ve done everything according to the dictates of the party. Dr. Obafemi Kadiri Hamzat is our governorship candidate.
Senator Idiat Adebule is our candidate in the Lagos West Senatorial District, and Mudashiru Obasa is the candidate for Agege Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives,” he said.
He also commended INEC and security agencies for ensuring a peaceful and transparent process.
“We appreciate INEC and security agencies for helping us to have a free, fair, and transparent exercise devoid of violence and disorderliness,” Obasa stated.
The Speaker praised party loyalists in Agege for their commitment to APC activities, while taking a swipe at members he described as dissidents for allegedly distancing themselves from the party’s internal processes.
“You can’t be absent from all primaries and still claim that you are with us. We have conducted House of Representatives, Senate, House of Assembly, and Governorship primaries, yet some disgruntled party members have consistently stayed away,” he said.
Obasa further stressed the importance of political continuity and loyalty within the party structure, describing Agege as a model of grassroots political organisation.
“Nothing was done by subterfuge; everything was done in the open. INEC, DSS, Police, the media, and party leaders were all present. Anybody who has a problem should challenge the result in court,” he added.
The large turnout and endorsement of Hamzat at the stadium underscored APC’s growing preparations for the 2027 elections, with party leaders insisting that unity and loyalty would remain central to its political strategy in Agege.
Written by Olusegun Haastrup