The 2027 political race in the ruling All Progressives Congress gained some momentum on Tuesday as President Bola Tinubu and other aspirants obtained their nomination forms.
Also, Osifo Stanley from Edo State purchased N100m presidential nomination forms to challenge Tinubu for the APC ticket at the primaries.
This comes as Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, secured the backing of the Governance Advisory Council as the APC consensus candidate in the state.
The Founder of Tinubu Support Groups, lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, James Faleke, who picked the N100 million expression of interest and nomination for the President, dismissed concerns over the emerging coalition against Tinubu, insisting they posed no threat to the APC.
According to the party’s 2027 schedule of activities, the sale of forms was scheduled to begin on Saturday, April 25, and end on Saturday, May 2, 2026. However, the process commenced three days later than planned. Party officials clarified that despite this brief delay, the overall deadline for form submission and aspirant eligibility remains unchanged, and all scheduled activities will still proceed as planned. This assurance is intended to help aspirants and stakeholders plan accordingly and reduce any uncertainty caused by the shift in timing.
Our reporter, who visited the designated venue, Abuja Continental Hotel, observed that the Ladi Kwali Hall, ballroom 2, was filled with APC aspirants.
Inside the hall, Senate and House of Representatives aspirants were seen collecting their forms from the zonal desk. The desk for governorship aspirants was positioned separately from the others.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had fixed the Presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, January 16, 2027, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 2027.
The commission also disclosed that party primaries, including the resolution of related disputes, will take place from April 23, 2026, to May 30, 2026.
INEC further announced that campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will commence on August 19, 2026, while those for Governorship and State Assembly elections will begin on September 9, 2026.
With the commencement of nomination form sales, political realignments across the six geopolitical zones and fresh succession calculations have been set in motion as the lawmaker representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, picked up the APC governorship nomination form for the 2027 Ogun State election.
Similarly, Senator Shehu Buba of Bauchi State and Senator Isah Jibrin (Wadada) of Nasarawa State picked up their governorship expression of interest and nomination forms as they seek to succeed Governors Bala Mohammed and Abdullahi Sule, respectively.
Speaking to journalists after obtaining President Tinubu’s re-election bid forms, Faleke maintained that the APC remains “strategically positioned and unaffected by opposition alignments,” stressing that the party’s internal cohesion and electoral machinery remain strong. He cited examples such as APC’s ongoing grassroots mobilisation campaigns, targeted voter outreach, and the strengthening of local party offices as concrete ways the party is securing its advantage heading into 2027. According to Faleke, these preparations are backed by intensive member training and the deployment of sophisticated data tools to enhance campaign effectiveness at both state and national levels.
“So, for all support groups who have made efforts, who have contributed money to purchase the form, I have done so on their behalf, on behalf of Nigerians. There is no one particular person who has done this. It is on behalf of all Nigerians.
“Just as we did before the 2023 election, I was also privileged, with some leaders, to buy the form. Here again, I am privileged to buy the form on behalf of all Nigerians, for our President, for our performing President.”
He added, “And by the grace of God, 2027 will be a reality. By the grace of God, he will contest, and he will win the election. At the same time, I am also privileged, with my friend here, Honourable Ajala, to pick the form for the incoming governor of Lagos, Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat.
“And let me also say that those of us who contributed money to buy this form are more than 1,000 in Lagos. It is not just one person. None of us can come here and pick the form. Only representatives are sent. And I am also lucky to be one of those who have been sent to pick the form. At the same time, I picked my own form to return to the House of Reps. You can see the form with me.”
He added, “I am also waiting to get the receipt for our incumbent Senator Idiat Adebule from my West Senatorial District. This is just to let you know that everything is intact and God is in charge.”
He noted that the recent political movements and coalition talks are part of normal democratic competition and would not disrupt the ruling party’s preparation for 2027. (Punch)
English