By Peter Dansu The political landscape of Lagos State witnessed a major twist on Tuesday as Dr. Samuel Mawuyon Ajose, popularly known as SM...
By Peter Dansu
The political landscape of Lagos State witnessed a major twist on Tuesday as Dr. Samuel Mawuyon Ajose, popularly known as SMA or SMA Gold, reportedly withdrew from the 2027 Lagos governorship race under the platform of the All Progressives Congress APC.
Ajose, widely regarded as the strongest intra-party opposition to the aspiration of Lagos State Deputy Governor, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, was said to have stepped down from the race ahead of the APC governorship primary election.
The announcement was made publicly by Musiliu Obanikoro during the mega endorsement rally held in Badagry in support of Hamzat’s governorship ambition.
Obanikoro disclosed that Ajose would officially adopt and endorse Hamzat’s candidacy at the Blue Roof in Ikeja on Wednesday, a development that many party faithful believe has effectively sealed the race in favour of the deputy governor.
The rally in Badagry further strengthened Hamzat’s growing dominance within the Lagos APC structure, following earlier endorsements reportedly secured from Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Governance Advisory Council GAC, and several influential party blocs and political factions across the state.
Before the latest development, Ajose had repeatedly maintained that he would remain in the race to challenge what he described as the longstanding marginalisation of Badagry Division in the political history of Lagos State leadership.
Even after other aspirants reportedly stepped down, SMA had continued to insist on pursuing his ambition. Political observers had quoted him in previous engagements as saying that only President Tinubu could personally ask him to withdraw from the contest.
Whether such intervention took place remains unclear, but Obanikoro’s announcement at the Badagry rally has now intensified speculation that party leaders may have reached a final consensus ahead of Thursday’s APC governorship primary.
With Ajose’s reported withdrawal, Hamzat is now being projected by many party insiders as the consensus candidate of the Lagos APC for the 2027 governorship election, making the forthcoming primary appear largely symbolic.
However, as of the time of filing this report, neither Dr. Samuel Mawuyon Ajose nor his media office had officially confirmed or denied the withdrawal announcement made by Obanikoro.
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