The speculation that Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu is eyeing the coveted position of the number one citizen of Lagos State has stirred the hornet’s nest in the state with various political actors scrambling to realign their support base or make strategic alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections, when voters in the state will choose Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s successor.
Seyi’s governorship ambition has sent tongues wagging with many suggesting that his eventual pick as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate and winning the election will be the culmination and height of the Tinubu political dynasty in Lagos.
Since 1999, Tinubu has determined the fate of candidates to stand for elections, but also who holds what appointive office in the state. From those to succeed him as governor, state legislators and National Assembly members, the acclaimed godfather of Lagos politics had always had the final say. Tinubu’s experiment with allowing his immediate family members foray into the murky waters of politics began with his wife, Remi Tinubu, who was elected into the Senate in 2011.
Before the flurry of endorsement began, the calculation was that Seyi, who is 39 years will throw his hat into the governorship race in 2035 when he will have turned 47. But his camp believes that permutation will go awry as it will be four years after his father would have vacated Aso Villa on completing his second term in office.
While faulting this premise, Seyi’s camp argued that the most auspicious time to join the political fray is now, when his father is still politically relevant and is at the peak of his political career. As a sitting president, Tinubu can dictate who becomes the APC gubernatorial flagbearer by tilting the scale to favour his son, which may also align with Tinubu’s plan to sustain his political dynasty by handing the mantle to Seyi.
However, the current attempt by Seyi to follow the footsteps of his stepmother has generated a lot of controversy. The brouhaha over Seyi’s political ambition was ignited following his endorsement to run for the office of governor by the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL), representing youth groups across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The coalition which announced the endorsement in Owerri, Imo State, asserted that Seyi is free to run for governor in either Osun State or Imo State, where his family is reportedly from. Similarly, a socio-political group, Friends of Seyi Tinubu, has also endorsed him, describing the president’s son as a visionary leader with a rare combination of intellect, empathy and strategic acumen.
The endorsement by the two pro-Seyi groups was immediately countered by the coalition of Lagos indigenous youths, which rejected the endorsement of Seyi as Lagos State governor in 2027. A statement signed on behalf of the youths by Abdul Kareem Whyte, criticised the endorsement, declaring that the penchant for allowing non-indigenes to govern state must stop.
The coalition emphasised that since 1999, no true Lagos indigene had been elected as governor, describing Seyi’s endorsement as an attempt to marginalise the indigenous people of the state. To underscore their seriousness about the issue of who governs Lagos, the youths warned the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, to be cautious of attempts to gain endorsements from traditional rulers ahead of the 2027 election.
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Also, the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has publicly opposed Seyi becoming governor of Lagos State. PDP spokesperson in the state, Hakeem Amode, while criticising the move, declared that non-indigenes should not be allowed to govern the state. He added that “Lagos will not serve the Tinubus.” Amode stated that if the Tinubu camp were to resort to the same tactics used in Ondo and Edo States, it would be met with resistance.
But, the PDP National Youth Group, through its spokesperson, Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, holds a different opinion on Seyi’s rumoured bid for governor. Akinniyi compared the Tinubu family’s potential political dynasty to the Bush family’s political legacy in the United States of America, where George H.W. Bush and his son, George Walker Bush, both served as presidents.
“It appears that the Tinubu’s are emulating the Bushs’ political strategy in America, where the father and son were 41st and 43rd presidents of the United States, respectively. Seyi Tinubu is a Nigerian and he is qualified to be the Governor of Lagos State, after then he can try to be president of Nigeria after his father. If the PDP leaders are serious in Lagos, should we be discussing a Son of Bola Tinubu’s endorsement? Nigerians and indeed, Lagosians are in love with his dad and they can compensate the family with the number one Seat in Lagos. Is there anyone who can challenge him, if his dad decides to make him the next governor of Lagos state?” he questioned.
Akinniyi also criticized PDP members in Lagos State, alleging that they have been involved in behind-the-scenes negotiations with the ruling APC, thereby undermining the party’s ability to present a strong alternative governorship candidate to challenge the APC’s dominance in Lagos State.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of the APC has distanced itself from the drama surrounding Seyi’s potential governorship bid in 2027. The party explained that it has not spoken about the 2027 election, since the time is not ripe for politicking.
On the social media platform, X, Nigerians have expressed mixed reactions to Seyi’s endorsement. @Ladedi_de wrote: “Leadership cannot be inherited; it must be acquired through dedication, competence, and service. Seyi Tinubu stays devoted to advancement, enabling the public to determine his route based on merit rather than assumptions. Seyi Tinubu’s focus remains on advancing Lagos’ progress and prosperity through hard work and visionary leadership. Leadership is achieved through merit and devotion, not by inheritance.
Lagos is a dynamic, varied state created through the combined efforts of its citizens. Seyi Tinubu has always proven leadership and dedication to unity, progress, and the growth of Lagos and beyond. Personal assaults will not lessen his commitment to Lagos State.”
Another user @yanju said that “Tinubu is the best choice to put Nigerian youngsters in- charge of making decisions. I believe he’ll include a lotta youths in his government and set a precedence for younger guys taking over government. This is how we take back our country. We mustn’t miss this. Youth are needed in this government, and someone like Seyi Tinubu, who is dedicated and hardworking will really be appreciated in Lagos state.” @Rashidat20 added in agreement to endorse.
However, user @Johnsomking111 disagrees with this position, claiming that “Nigerians enabled his father to become president even though he did not win the election. What makes you think his father will not influence the Lagos election via INEC when the time comes? Go ask the Edo people what transpired during their election.”
Regardless of the furore Seyi’s political ambition has garnered, the real battle as to who becomes the next governor of Lagos State, will take within the APC as there are other contenders scheming for the same position. There is the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, whose political track record is more imposing and intimidating than Seyi’s. Obasa has told journalists on being questioned about mobilizing his supporters for the contest ahead, that he is qualified to seek the office of governor if he decides to do so.
Then, there is the current Deputy Governor, Kadri Hamzat, who was has been touted as Gov. Sanwo-Olu’s natural successor. He had to drop his ambition in favour of Sanwo-Olu after being persuaded by Tinubu, to avoid breaking the state’s unwritten power-sharing arrangement between Christians and Muslims. Part of the agreement was that as a Muslim, Hamzat would succeed Sanwo-Olu, who is a Christian. He will obviously be disappointed if that agreement is now dropped in favour of Seyi.
Former House of Representatives Speaker and current Chief of Staff to Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, is equally known to be nursing an ambition to succeed Sanwo-Olu. Sources say that he has invested time and money in the quest to grab the opportunity in 2027. He is likely to drop his ambition if it is clear that Seyi is joining the race because he would not want to oppose Tinubu who is his political mentor.
