The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of 17 candidates cleared to contest the 2027 Lagos State governorship election.
The list places Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adedeji Doherty of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) among the leading names in the race.
INEC’s final publication contains the governorship candidates, their political parties, ages, gender and educational qualifications, as well as details of their running mates. Independent reports also confirm that 17 parties are represented in the Lagos race.
Full list of Lagos governorship candidates
The 17 candidates listed by INEC are:
| Party | Candidate | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Accord (A) | Sowore Otitoloju Robert | 58 |
| Action Alliance (AA) | Salawu Kamarudeen | 47 |
| African Action Congress (AAC) | Sol-Nuyi Oluwadamola Adesoca | 55 |
| African Democratic Congress (ADC) | Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour | 43 |
| Action Democratic Party (ADP) | Bolaji Nasir Adewale | 73 |
| All Progressives Congress (APC) | Hamzat Kadri Obafemi | 62 |
| Allied Peoples Movement (APM) | Adeoye Adelaja Azeez | 45 |
| Action Peoples Party (APP) | Adeyemi Abiola | 49 |
| Labour Party (LP) | Odunaike Oluwapemilerin Olurotimi | 49 |
| National Democratic Congress (NDC) | Doherty Olufunso Adeshina | 58 |
| National Democratic Party (NDP) | Obadia Akinola | 56 |
| New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) | Onifade Ademoyegun Taiwo | 62 |
| National Rescue Movement (NRM) | Onigbokun Ademola Joseph | 53 |
| Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) | Doherty Adedeji Olugbemiga | 64 |
| Social Democratic Party (SDP) | Olaniyi Olufemi | 52 |
| Young Progressives Party (YPP) | Taiwo Temitope Elijah | 46 |
| Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) | Peter Helen Ojotule | 36 |
The names, party affiliations and ages correspond with the final list reported from the INEC publication.
Hamzat, Rhodes-Vivour and Doherty among key contenders
Hamzat, the incumbent Deputy Governor of Lagos State, is representing the ruling APC.
Rhodes-Vivour, who previously contested the 2023 Lagos governorship election under the Labour Party, is now contesting on the ADC platform.
The PDP is fielding Adedeji Olugbemiga Doherty, while Olufunso Adeshina Doherty is listed for the NDC. The presence of two candidates with the Doherty surname reflects separate candidacies under different political parties.
The final list also includes candidates from smaller parties, giving Lagos voters a field of 17 options for the governorship contest.
Age range spans 37 years
The candidates cover a considerable age range.
The youngest candidate is Helen Ojotule Peter of the Zenith Labour Party, aged 36, while Nasir Adewale Bolaji of the Action Democratic Party is the oldest at 73.
The list contains only two women among the 17 governorship candidates: Abiola Adeyemi of the APP and Helen Ojotule Peter of the ZLP.
The other 15 candidates are male.
The running-mate list, however, contains additional female candidates, meaning gender representation is somewhat broader at deputy-governor level.
Election date and campaign timeline
The 2027 Lagos governorship election is scheduled for February 6, 2027, alongside State House of Assembly elections.
INEC’s election timetable places the governorship and House of Assembly campaigns within the period leading to the February poll. The publication of the final candidate list marks another important stage in the electoral process.
INEC has also published candidate lists for the other governorship contests and State House of Assembly elections covered by the 2027 electoral timetable.
For Lagos, the final list now provides voters with a clearer picture of the candidates seeking to succeed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
