Former Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Abdulazeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has dismissed reports claiming that President Bola Tinubu has endorsed Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the preferred All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 Lagos governorship election.
He insisted that there has been neither a presidential endorsement nor a formal declaration of interest from Hamzat.
Jandor, now an APC aspirant contesting for the same position, made this known during Monday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he pushed back against claims that the race had already been decided in Hamzat’s favour.
Speaking on Hamzat’s candidacy, Jandor said: “He hasn’t even said to us himself that he is running. He is the deputy governor of Lagos, qualified, with over 20 years of experience in that space.”
Reacting to speculations of a presidential endorsement, he maintained that aspirants like himself would be the first to know if such a decision had been taken.
“No, the President hasn’t endorsed anyone. I am an aspirant, and we are a few people also gunning for this. We will be the first set of people to know if there is anything like that because communication will come,” he said.
Jandor further noted that the APC has not indicated any plan for a consensus arrangement, stressing that the party is currently leaning towards direct primaries.
“As we speak, the party says it’s going to be direct primaries. If tomorrow it says this is what we are doing, we will fall in line. The party is supreme,” he said.
The former PDP chieftain also disclosed that he had met personally with President Tinubu, who neither discouraged his ambition nor promised him the party’s ticket—an encounter he said strengthened his resolve to remain in the race.
Defending his early declaration, Jandor described it as a reflection of self-confidence, drawing parallels with Tinubu’s own political journey.
“Absolutely, because if you don’t believe in yourself, nobody will believe in you. When the President was running for the ticket, he came out to say he wanted to run,” he said.
On opposition politics in Lagos, Jandor argued that the dominance of the APC has weakened rival parties in the state.
However, he pledged loyalty to the party’s eventual decision, reiterating that he would support whoever emerges as the APC candidate if he does not secure the ticket.
The race for the 2027 Lagos governorship is already gaining momentum as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu approaches the end of his final term. Among those speculated to be eyeing the position are Hamzat, former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, presidential aide Hakeem Muri-Okunola, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, and Minister of Education Tunji Alausa. President Tinubu is expected to remain a key power broker, while the Governorship Advisory Council is likely to play a major role in determining the party’s eventual candidate.