As Nigeria’s 2027 governorship elections approach, succession battles are intensifying across at least 10 states including Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom, with over 30 aspirants positioning themselves in some states while outgoing governors keep their preferred successors secret and zoning disputes, political defections, and power broker influence complicate the race.
Nigeria’s political landscape is heating up as succession battles intensify across at least 10 states ahead of the 2027 governorship elections. With term-limited governors preparing to exit office, political heavyweights, technocrats, and businessmen are jockeying for position in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom.
In Lagos, the ball is firmly in the court of the ruling APC, with the final decision resting on President Bola Tinubu, a former governor of the state. Five political heavyweights are being linked to the race, including Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, presidential Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, and the President’s son, Seyi Tinubu—though none have made official declarations.
Findings indicate that there are currently no fewer than 30 aspirants from various political parties vying for the governorship position in 2027 in Nasarawa State alone, with aspirants coming from the APC, PDP, Social Democratic Party, ADC, New Nigeria People’s Party, LP, and Action Alliance.
The defections of major political figures are reshaping the landscape. The defections of both former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to the ADC and Governor Fintiri to the APC are expected to shape the political battle ahead of 2027 in Adamawa State.
In Kwara, the zoning debate gained renewed momentum in November 2025 when the Chairman of the APC in Kwara State, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, declared that the party had not decided whether it would zone the governorship ticket in 2027 amid growing agitation from Kwara North, the only senatorial district yet to produce a civilian governor since 1999.
Ogun State presents another complex scenario. Gboyega Isiaka, currently representing Imeko-Afon/Yewa North Federal constituency, had contested the governorship seat in Ogun State three times: 2011 under the Peoples Party of Nigeria, 2015 under PDP, and ADC in 2019 X, and is positioning himself again for 2027.
Campaign posters have started flooding some states, even as outgoing governors keep their succession plans secret. In Lagos, it is believed that the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, may not have the political clout to influence the choice of his successor, with deputy governors across several states finding themselves sidelined in succession plans despite years of loyalty to their principals.
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