By David Lawani, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027 gathered momentum on Tuesday as a House of Representatives member, James Faleke, formally obtained the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form on his behalf.
The lawmaker declared after obtaining the form that Tinubu remained firmly positioned for re-election despite emerging opposition alliances and early internal challengers.
Faleke, who represents Ikeja Federal Constituency, said the purchase of the nomination form was a collective decision by thousands of party loyalists and supporters, particularly from Lagos, stressing that no single group or individual could claim sole ownership of the move.
“My first concern has to do with the President. Before today, there have been too many support groups claiming they would be the ones to bring the nomination form for Mr President,” Faleke said.
“My name is James Abiodun Faleke. I represent Ikeja Federal Constituency, and by the grace of God, I am the representative of Mr President in the House of Representatives.
“So, for all support groups who made efforts and contributed money toward the purchase of the form, I have done so on their behalf and on behalf of Nigerians. There is no one particular person who has done this.”
The lawmaker recalled a similar arrangement ahead of the 2023 general election, noting that the latest purchase reflected broad national confidence in Tinubu’s leadership and the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Just as we did before the 2023 election, I was privileged alongside some leaders to buy the form. Again, I am privileged to buy the form on behalf of all Nigerians for our performing President.
“And by the grace of God, 2027 will be a reality. He will contest, and he will win the election,” Faleke declared.
He also dismissed the growing coalition of opposition figures seeking to challenge Tinubu’s dominance in 2027, including recent political consultations in Ibadan.
“Political parties coming together is part of democracy. When we do our work, they will do their work,” he said confidently.
In a broader demonstration of Lagos APC’s strategic preparations for 2027, Faleke disclosed that he was also among party leaders mandated to obtain the governorship nomination form for Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, whom he described as the state’s “incoming governor.”
“At the same time, I am privileged, alongside my friend Hon. Ajala, to pick the form for the incoming governor of Lagos, Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat,” he stated.
Faleke revealed that over 1,000 APC stakeholders in Lagos pooled resources to finance the various nomination forms, underscoring what he described as a coordinated grassroots political structure.
“Those of us who contributed money to buy these forms are more than 1,000 in Lagos. It is not just one person. All of us cannot come here to pick the forms, so representatives were sent, and I am lucky to be one of them,” he added.
In the meantime, the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the influential apex political structure within the state APC, formally adopted Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, as its consensus governorship candidate for 2027.
GAC leader, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi, announced the decision after what he described as an exhaustive meeting involving over 20 senior APC leaders.
“We have just concluded an important GAC meeting with over 23 or 24 of our leaders in attendance, and the deliberations were very comprehensive,” Olusi said.
“Our constitution allows for primaries and guarantees equal opportunity for all aspirants. However, it also recognises consensus as a means of fostering unity and peace.
“We have all agreed that Dr Obafemi Hamzat, the current Deputy Governor, is our consensus candidate, and we have all pledged to stand by him.”
Olusi further disclosed that GAC leaders had committed personal resources to fund Hamzat’s nomination form.
“All our leaders here have levied themselves to fund the nomination form for Mr Deputy. They have committed to purchasing the form for him, even from their personal savings as retirees,” he said.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu reinforced the Lagos APC’s support for Tinubu, confirming that the state chapter had also secured the President’s nomination form.
“We firmly believe in the vision of our leader, President Bola Tinubu. We have bought his nomination form.
“This is a testament to the fact that we believe in the future of what the Renewed Hope Agenda will do for the good of Nigerians,” Sanwo-Olu stated.
The coordinated moves by Faleke, the Lagos APC establishment, and GAC signal a robust early consolidation of political machinery around Tinubu and Hamzat ahead of what is expected to be an intense 2027 electoral cycle.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu may also face an internal challenge within the APC presidential primaries, as Edo-based party member Stanley Osifo has reportedly declared his ambition to contest for the party’s presidential ticket under his “Metamorphosis 2027” platform.
Osifo is said to have backed his declaration with the alleged purchase of the APC’s ₦100 million presidential nomination form, positioning himself as a reform-minded challenger driven by concerns over governance performance, economic hardship, and the need for fresh leadership ideas within the ruling party.
Although his nomination status is yet to be independently confirmed by the APC national secretariat, Osifo’s reported entry introduces an early layer of internal competition to Tinubu’s re-election path, setting the stage for a potentially competitive APC primary season.
