LAGOS: The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has dismissed concerns about the political influence of Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential election, insisting that the opposition figure poses no serious threat to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election ambition in the state.
APC chieftains made the declaration on Thursday while speaking with journalists at the launch of the Iyaloja General Movement (IGM), a political mobilisation platform established by President Tinubu’s daughter and Nigeria’s Iyaloja General, Dr Mujidat Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, to support the president’s second-term bid.
The movement is expected to mobilise support for Tinubu ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
The Lagos APC leaders expressed confidence that the party would perform better in the forthcoming election, claiming that it had addressed the political miscalculations and organisational shortcomings they said contributed to its defeat in Lagos during the 2023 presidential poll.
The Lagos State Director-General of the movement, Barrister Adejumbo Omofumilewa, described the inauguration as a mini rally in support of Tinubu and said the party was now better positioned to secure victory.
Omofumilewa attributed the APC’s previous electoral setback in Lagos to its failure to adequately assess the political situation in the state.
“What happened in 2023 that made our candidate lose the presidential election in Lagos State has already been taken care of, because now, everybody is following him, he said.
He further dismissed the possibility of opposition parties mounting a significant challenge against the APC in Lagos.
“Obi is not a threat, neither is any party a threat in Lagos State. We are in charge,” Omofumilewa declared.
The Director-General of the Iyaloja General Movement, Dr Nasiru Ladan, disclosed that the organisation had attracted more than 2,500 support groups, with additional groups reportedly expressing interest in joining its structure.
Ladan said the movement was building a database of supporters across states, local government areas and wards as part of efforts to strengthen its grassroots mobilisation strategy.
According to him, the organisation plans to deploy 10 facilitators to each polling unit, with every facilitator expected to mobilise 100 voters.
He said the arrangement was intended to help the movement achieve its target of 10 million votes for Tinubu in the 2027 election.
However, no detailed breakdown or independent verification of the projected votes was provided.
Ladan maintained that the movement had begun establishing its structures nationwide, with the expectation that its network would translate into electoral support for the APC.
The Lagos State APC Chairman, Cornelius Oyefolu Ojelabi, said the ruling party was intensifying preparations for the forthcoming elections and would not take its political dominance for granted.
Ojelabi said the APC was expanding its outreach through political activities, support groups and grassroots engagements across different states and local government areas.
He explained that the party was engaging voters to present the achievements of the Tinubu administration and seek support for the continuation of its policies.
The APC chairman described the 2023 presidential election outcome in Lagos as a wake-up call, noting that the state had been governed by the same political party since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
According to him, the experience had strengthened the party’s resolve to improve its mobilisation and electoral strategy.
Ojelabi also expressed support for Tinubu-Ojo’s initiative, saying the gathering of Iyaloja leaders from across the country was intended to encourage ownership of the president’s re-election campaign among the groups.
The Akwa Ibom State Coordinator of the Iyaloja General Movement, Prince Mendy Achibong, expressed optimism about the organisation’s prospects in the state.
Achibong pledged that Akwa Ibom would deliver more than 80 per cent of its votes to Tinubu in 2027, claiming the president would receive significantly greater support than in the previous election.
The pledge forms part of the movement’s wider mobilisation campaign as political parties and support organisations begin positioning themselves ahead of the next general election.
The APC’s confidence comes against the backdrop of the 2023 presidential election, when Peter Obi, then the Labour Party candidate, defeated Tinubu in Lagos, delivering a major political upset in the president’s home state.
The latest declaration by Lagos APC leaders signals the party’s determination to reclaim its previous electoral advantage and consolidate its grassroots network.
Nevertheless, claims that opposition parties pose no threat remain the position of APC officials, rather than an established electoral outcome.
With the 2027 contest approaching, the effectiveness of the party’s mobilisation strategy, voter engagement and the strength of competing political platforms will help determine the eventual outcome in Lagos and other states.
