The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates approved to contest the Lagos State governorship election in 2027, with 17 political parties fielding candidates for the race. The list, published on the INEC official website, names one candidate per party alongside their ages, spanning a wide range from 36 to 73 years old.
APC, PDP and Other Major Parties Field Candidates
The All Progressives Congress (APC), which currently controls Lagos State, is fielding Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, aged 62, who serves as the sitting Deputy Governor of the state. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has named Adedeji Olugbemiga Doherty, 64, as its candidate, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is running with Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, 43, who previously contested the 2023 Lagos governorship election under the Labour Party.
The Labour Party (LP) has cleared Oluwapemilerin Olurotimi Odunaike, 49, as its candidate for the contest, while the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) is fielding Ademoyegun Taiwo Onifade, 62.
Other candidates on the final list include Otitoloju Robert Sowore, 58, flying the flag for the African Action Congress (A); Kamarudeen Salawu, 47, for the Accord Alliance (AA); Oluwadamola Adesoca Sol-Nuyi, 55, for the African Action Congress (AAC); and Nasir Adewale Bolaji, 73, representing the Action Democratic Party (ADP).
Full List of Candidates by Party
The complete list of 17 candidates certified by INEC is as follows:
- A — Sowore Otitoloju Robert, 58
- AA — Salawu Kamarudeen, 47
- AAC — Sol-Nuyi Oluwadamola Adesoca, 55
- ADC — Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, 43
- ADP — Bolaji Nasir Adewale, 73
- APC — Hamzat Kadri Obafemi, 62
- APM — Adeoye Adelaja Azeez, 45
- APP — Adeyemi Abiola, 49
- LP — Odunaike Oluwapemilerin Olurotimi, 49
- NDC — Doherty Olufunso Adeshina, 58
- NDP — Obadia Akinola, 56
- NNPP — Onifade Ademoyegun Taiwo, 62
- NRM — Onigbokun Ademola Joseph, 53
- PDP — Doherty Adedeji Olugbemiga, 64
- SDP — Olaniyi Olufemi, 52
- YPP — Taiwo Temitope Elijah, 46
- ZLP — Peter Helen Ojotule, 36
Helen Ojotule Peter of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) is the youngest candidate on the list at 36, while ADP's Nasir Adewale Bolaji, at 73, is the oldest. The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) also has a candidate in the race in Olufunso Adeshina Doherty, 58, distinct from the PDP's Adedeji Olugbemiga Doherty.
Election Date and Omissions
The election will be held on Saturday, February 16, 2027. The full official list of candidates is available on the INEC website.
Meanwhile, INEC has left out major governorship candidates from its final list ahead of the February 6, 2027 elections, with the omissions cutting across multiple states and political parties. Among those excluded are Isa Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Gombe State and former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy; Ladi Adebutu, the PDP's candidate in Ogun State; and Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State.
