South West APC leaders gather in Lagos to rally behind Tinubu’s 2027 re‑election bid

Top figures of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Nigeria’s South West converged in Lagos on 4 November 2026 to address internal party wrangling and to coordinate support for President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term in the 2027 presidential election. The gathering was led by former Lagos governor Babatunde Fashola, former Ondo governor Olusegun Mimiko and former Ekiti governor Adeniyi Adebayo. The APC Presidential Campaign Council’s Directorate of Stakeholders Mobilisation for the South‑West zone arranged the event, which was held in Ikeja, Lagos.

Delegates from the party, along with representatives from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states, convened for the gathering. Among those present were Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu, his deputy Dr Obafemi Hamzat, and several other high-ranking party members. The agenda focused on reconciling aggrieved members, encouraging collective responsibility and planning an aggressive voter mobilisation drive ahead of the next general election.

Background

The APC’s South West bloc has experienced factional disputes since the 2023 elections, prompting the campaign council to convene a regional stakeholder engagement. Fashola, speaking to the assembled participants, urged members to set aside differences, describing internal discord as a threat to the party’s electoral prospects. He highlighted the historical pattern of power rotation between Nigeria’s North and South, noting that the current political climate presents an opportunity for the South to retain the presidency through unity.

Mimiko, representing the Ondo contingent, acknowledged the economic and governance challenges faced by the Tinubu administration but argued that recent policies were beginning to show positive outcomes. He pointed to reforms in the education sector, such as a more predictable academic calendar for tertiary institutions, as evidence of progress that should be sustained.

The mobilisation directorate’s involvement underscores the APC’s strategic emphasis on the South West, a region that contributed significantly to Tinubu’s 2023 victory. By uniting former governors and current state leaders, the party aims to present a cohesive front and to address voter apathy that has been identified as a concern.

Why it matters

The gathering is significant for several reasons. First, it seeks to resolve intra‑party conflicts that could otherwise fragment the APC’s vote base in a region that is pivotal for national elections. Second, the emphasis on voter mobilisation targets newly registered voters and those who have become disengaged, a demographic that could swing the outcome in tightly contested constituencies. Third, the endorsement of Tinubu’s administration by former governors serves to legitise the incumbent’s record and to persuade skeptical party members to back the 2027 campaign.

Stakeholders from six South West states are expected to cascade the reconciliation messages and mobilisation strategies to local party structures. The focus on addressing the causes of voter apathy, as highlighted by Fashola, suggests that the APC will allocate resources to outreach, data collection and targeted campaigning.

What happens next

The APC’s South West mobilisation effort will continue throughout the remainder of 2026, with further engagements planned in each of the six states to solidify the reconciliation outcomes. The party’s campaign council has indicated that a comprehensive voter mobilisation plan will be rolled out ahead of the 2027 general elections, though specific timelines for subsequent meetings were not disclosed in the source material.