Lagos 2027: Jandor steps down as APC backs Hamzat

A former Lagos governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has withdrawn from the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship race ahead of the 2027 election, amid growing support for Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat.

Jandor announced his withdrawal on Thursday, just a day after Hamzat was presented to President Bola Tinubu by the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) as the party’s consensus candidate.

Jandor wrote on X: “However, leadership also demands the capacity to make difficult but necessary decisions that prioritize collective interest above personal ambition.

“Following the endorsement of Dr. Kadiri Hamzat by our Leader, the President of Nigeria, and Leaders of our party in Lagos, and in recognition of the prevailing realities within the political landscape of our great party, I have decided to withdraw from the 2027 Lagos State gubernatorial race.

“This decision is not borne out of weakness or a lack of capacity, but out of strength, discipline, and a deep respect for party cohesion and unity.”

On the same day, former governor Akinwunmi Ambode publicly endorsed Hamzat, adding to earlier backing from President Tinubu and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

“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,” 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.”

Ambode further noted that Hamzat’s emergence 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.”

Jandor, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in 2023, defected to the APC last year and had recently declared his intention to contest for the party’s ticket.

His decision to step down follows days of internal consultations and alignments within the ruling party, as leaders rally around Hamzat.

Prior to his withdrawal, Jandor had called for a competitive primary, cautioning against the imposition of any 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 surrounding his withdrawal were not immediately clear as of press time.

Hamzat’s emergence has been influenced by endorsements from influential party stakeholders, including members of the GAC led by Tajudeen Olusi.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed on Wednesday that the president endorsed Hamzat during a meeting with the council and Governor Sanwo-Olu.

Reacting to the development, 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.

Despite the growing endorsements, party sources maintain that the APC primary process remains open.

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