By Ayo Kehinde
Member of the House of Representatives representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, James Abiodun Faleke, on Tuesday, picked up the All Progressives Congress (APC) Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The forms, valued at ₦100 million, were presented to Faleke at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu.
Faleke, who disclosed that he paid for the forms on behalf of the President, described Tinubu as the most experienced political leader currently capable of sustaining the APC’s dominance and continuing the administration’s reform agenda.
The lawmaker also picked nomination forms for Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Idiat Adebule, as well as himself.
Hamzat’s inclusion among those whose forms were obtained comes amid growing momentum surrounding his anticipated governorship ambition in Lagos State.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had on Monday reportedly endorsed his deputy for the 2027 governorship race during a closed-door meeting held at Lagos House, Marina, with members of the State Executive Council and key APC stakeholders.
The endorsement followed Hamzat’s formal declaration of intention to contest for the Lagos governorship, further strengthening speculations that influential blocs within the Lagos APC are already rallying support around his candidacy ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Supporters and APC loyalists who gathered at the party’s national secretariat hailed the procurement of the forms as a vote of confidence in Tinubu’s leadership and ongoing economic and institutional reforms.
Earlier in April, the APC fixed the cost of its 2027 presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms at ₦100 million as part of the party’s approved election timetable.
According to the schedule released by the ruling party, governorship nomination forms were pegged at ₦50 million, Senate forms at ₦20 million, House of Representatives forms at ₦10 million, while State House of Assembly forms were fixed at ₦5 million.
Political observers say the release of the APC timetable and the commencement of form purchases indicate that political activities ahead of 2027 are gradually gaining momentum despite the election being nearly eight months away.
Tinubu, who assumed office as Nigeria’s President in May 2023, remains one of the most influential figures within the APC and continues to command significant support among party stakeholders across several regions of the country.
Faleke’s involvement in obtaining the forms has also reinforced his reputation as one of Tinubu’s closest political allies and a major mobilising force within the APC structure, particularly in Lagos State and the South-West.
Observers believe the simultaneous procurement of forms for Hamzat, Adebule, and Faleke points to broader political consultations and strategic alignments within the Lagos APC ahead of future electoral contests.
Adebule, a former deputy governor of Lagos State and now senator representing Lagos West, remains one of the prominent female political figures within the ruling party and continues to maintain a strong influence within APC structures in the state.
The latest development is expected to further energise political consultations within the ruling party as opposition parties also intensify coalition talks and strategic planning ahead of the 2027 elections.
Analysts say the coming months are likely to witness increased political activities, realignments, and grassroots mobilisation across party lines as the race toward the next presidential election gradually takes shape.
