BLG Chairmanship: Top Three Contenders Backed By Three godfathers Eyeing 2027 House of Reps Seat

By Our Reporter  As the All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for its pivotal 2025 chairmanship primaries in Badagry Local Government (BL...

By Our Reporter 

As the All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for its pivotal 2025 chairmanship primaries in Badagry Local Government (BLG), the race is rapidly shaping up into more than just a local contest. It has evolved into a high-stakes political standoff—one that is intrinsically tied to the 2027 National Assembly elections.

At the center of this unfolding drama are three heavyweight chairmanship aspirants, each backed by a powerful political figure with eyes on Badagry’s federal constituency seat in 2027. These aspirants—Amb. Hassan Mihode Hammed, Hon. Hodewu Suuru Avoseh, and Hon. Babatunde Hunpe—represent more than just personal ambition. They are the foot soldiers of a deeper struggle for control of the APC's structure in Badagry.

Hassan Mihode Hammed: Whingan's Bet on Equity and Youth

From Ward H in Iyafin-Isalu, Amb. Hassan Mihode Hammed is one of the top contenders for BLG chairmanship. Reportedly backed by Hon. Sesi Oluwaseun Whingan, the current Member of the House of Representatives for Badagry Federal Constituency, Hassan’s candidacy is seen as both a strategic and symbolic move.

Ward H, long marginalized in the distribution of political power, has only once briefly held the chairmanship seat—and that was through an accidental succession, when Hon. Michael Zannu stepped in following the impeachment of a sitting chairman. Now, the Whingan camp is reportedly invoking the principles of equity and zoning, arguing that the seat should rightfully be ceded to Ward H. Their case is further strengthened by the fact that Hassan, a native of Itohun, is contesting from the ward, especially as the chairmanship position is expected to return to Badagry Constituency II after being held for two consecutive terms by Constituency I.

But beyond zoning lies a deeper calculation. Some political analysts have posited that Whingan's support for Hassan—his longtime aide—is about grooming a trusted ally and strengthening his own reelection chances in 2027. Especially in a post-"Baba Sope" political era where delegate-driven outcomes matter, controlling the local government APC structure could prove vital.

Whingan, who intends to break the jinx of securing a second term in the history of the House of Representatives by 2027, is clearly not leaving his political future to chance. Hence, his preparedness and scheming ahead are germane

Hon. H.S. Avoseh: Layode’s Comeback Card and Federal Ambition

On the other end of the spectrum is Hon. Hodewu Suuru Avoseh, a veteran politician and two-term former lawmaker in the Lagos State House of Assembly. His return to the political stage is being championed by Hon. Ibrahim Layode, the Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, a former four-term lawmaker at the Lagos State House of Assembly and coordinator of the Sustainable Hope Agenda (SHA), a group assumed to be loyal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Insiders reveal that Layode, a powerful political figure in Badagry and a former lawmaker himself, is strategically positioning Avoseh to help pave the way for his own planned entry into the 2027 federal race. This makes the Avoseh candidacy more than just a local government bid—it’s the beginning of a federal offensive.

Interestingly, in the event that Avoseh, who hails from Ward I—the same ward as Sesi Whingan—emerges as the Badagry Local Government Chairman, as being schemed by the Layode camp, and with Sesi Whingan’s ambition to recontest the House of Representatives seat in 2027, Layode’s strategy is to leverage and raise concerns within political circles. The possibility of one ward producing both the local government chairman and the federal representative in 2027 will be seen as politically lopsided. Layode’s bloc intend to use this narrative to argue for a "fairer" power distribution in order to scheme out Sesi Whingan from the House of Representatives race in 2027.

The Onilude-Hunpe Coalition: Redemption or Regression?

Meanwhile, the third major contender is Hon. Babatunde Hunpe, former federal lawmaker and ex-Special Adviser to the Governor. Though his move from national politics back to local government has raised eyebrows—with some calling it a step backward—Hunpe insists that leadership is about service, not status.

He is being propped up by Hon. Segun Onilude, the outgoing Badagry Local Government chairman, who is himself believed to have aspirations for the federal seat in 2027. The strategy appears clear: help Hunpe into the council chair and leverage that political capital for a future House of Reps bid.

This camp also reportedly includes Engr. Setonji David, lawmaker representing Badagry Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly. While not as vocal, insiders suggest that Hon. Mobolaji Ogunlende, Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, may be quietly aligning with this bloc. 

While the top three dominate headlines, the race is not without potential candidates. Aspirants like Engr. Whenu Seyive, Taiwo Joshua, Christopher Sotin, Risikat Padonu, Amosu Abolore, Hon. Babatunde Hunba, Hon. S.S. Balogun (a former Secretary of the Local Government), Prince Seyon Akran, Hon. Elizabeth Kappo, (the Incumbent Vice Chairman of Badagry Local Government), David Mautin Kunnuji, Hon. John Babatunde Ogun, and Barr Kiki James Deyon are also in the race and working behind the scenes. In a crowded field and under indirect primaries, surprises are always possible.

The Broader Battle: Control of the APC in 2027

Badagry Federal Constituency is politically fragmented across Badagry LGA (10 wards), Badagry West LCDA (5 wards), and Olorunda LCDA (5 wards). While Badagry LGA holds numerical advantage, political power is more delicately distributed.

What makes the 2025 chairmanship primaries even more tense is the method of selection: indirect primaries. With the days of top-down candidate imposition fading, the fight for delegate loyalty has become fierce and highly competitive.

In an APC-dominated terrain where opposition parties rarely pose real threats, the real battle is within. Whoever wins the chairmanship contest this Saturday may not just govern the local council—they may also dictate the party’s structure leading into 2027.

All Eyes on Saturday

With political alliances forming and fractures widening, this weekend’s primary at the APC state secretariat in Ogba, Lagos, is more than a party event—it’s a political reckoning.

Three top contenders. Three powerful backerps. And one shared goal: controlling the future of Badagry.

In the end, the chairmanship race may be won by one man, but the real victory lies in shaping who will rise—or fall—in the race to the National Assembly.