RismadarVoice Reporters, April 30, 2026
A politician, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Abdul-Azeez Adediran, has withdrawn from the race to become the next governor of Lagos State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
His decision comes barely 24 hours after Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, was presented to President Bola Tinubu as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election by the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC).
Adediran, who was the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general elections, defected to the APC in 2025. He had only recently declared his intention to contest for the party’s ticket, setting the stage for what many expected to be a competitive primary.
However, the emergence of Hamzat as the preferred candidate of the influential GAC appears to have reshaped the political landscape within the Lagos APC, prompting Adediran’s abrupt withdrawal.
While announcing his decision, Adediran did not disclose the reasons behind his move, nor did he indicate which aspirant he intends to support ahead of the party’s primaries. His silence has fueled speculation about possible internal negotiations and alignments within the ruling party.
Political observers note that the endorsement of Hamzat by the GAC widely regarded as a powerful decision-making bloc within Lagos APC could significantly influence the direction of the party’s primaries and eventual candidate selection.
However, the stakeholders said that as the 2027 elections draw closer, attention now turns to how other aspirants within the APC will respond, and whether Adediran’s withdrawal signals a broader consolidation of support around Hamzat.
They emphasised that developments are expected in the coming days as aspirants within the party continue consultations.
