By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
A Lagos State governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Samuel Mawuyon Ajose, has formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election, pledging to deepen democracy and contribute to the continued development of the state.
Ajose made the declaration on Thursday, 7 May, 2026 during a meeting with the leadership of the APC at the party’s State Secretariat in ACME, Lagos, where he was officially received by the Lagos APC Chairman, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, alongside other party stakeholders.
The meeting was convened to enable the aspirant formally notify the party of his ambition ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Ojelabi described the visit as a “family affair,” stressing that Ajose remained a committed member of the progressive fold.
He explained that the aspirant visited the secretariat to officially inform the party of his governorship ambition and present his vision for Lagos State.
“It’s not new. It’s a family visit. He’s a member of the All Progressives Congress, and he came home to officially inform the party that he is vying for the position of Governor of Lagos State for 2027,” Ojelabi said.
Furthermore, the APC Chairman assured all aspirants of fairness and transparency in the party’s internal process, noting that the leadership would provide a level playing field in line with directives from the national secretariat.
“I gave him assurance that, as far as the party is concerned, aside from directives from the National Secretariat of our party, whether we are going for consensus or direct primaries, we are ready to provide a level playing field for all aspirants,” he stated.
Ojelabi commended the growing level of political engagement within the APC, noting that aspirants had already commenced grassroots consultations across local governments in the state.
“This is the only party where you see aspirants moving from one local government to another, soliciting support from party members before getting to the electorate. Have you seen any other party doing what our aspirants are doing?” he queried.
He added that preparations for the party primaries were already gathering momentum, expressing confidence that the APC would continue to demonstrate its political strength ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking shortly after meeting party leaders, Ajose confirmed his intention to join the governorship race, saying the reception accorded him by the party leadership exceeded his expectations.
“By God’s grace, I will be contesting,” he declared.
Similarly, the governorship hopeful expressed appreciation to the party leadership for what he described as a warm and encouraging reception.
“We have met the Chairman and the whole family, and I can tell you it was a warm reception beyond my expectation. You saw me smiling when I came out of the office for the group photograph,” he said.
Ajose further disclosed that the party leadership had assured him that all necessary arrangements would be put in place to guarantee a conducive atmosphere for the forthcoming electoral process.
“They have given us every assurance that everything needed to make us comfortable in the forthcoming election is available to us,” he added.
Nonetheless, he maintained that the supremacy of the party remained paramount, stressing that all aspirants would abide by the final decision of the APC.
