2023 Lagos State gubernatorial election

The 2023 Lagos State gubernatorial election will take place on 11 March 2023, to elect the Governor of Lagos State, concurrent with elections to the Lagos State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly.[1][2] The election will be held two weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections. Incumbent APC Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is eligible to run for re-election, but has not yet stated whether he will do so.

2023 Lagos State gubernatorial election
11 March 2023
 
Party APC PDP
Governor before election

Babajide Sanwo-Olu
APC

 Elected Governor

TBD
TBD

Electoral system

The Governor of Lagos State is elected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two-thirds of state local government areas. If no candidate passes this threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government areas.

Background

Lagos State is a highly populated, diverse southwestern state that is a major financial centre along with being a key culture, education, and transportation hub. Although it faces overcrowding and chronic debilitating traffic, it has grown to one of the largest economies in Africa.

Politically, the 2019 elections were a continuation of the state APC's control as presidential incumbent Muhammadu Buhari won the state by 12% and the party held all three senate seats while gaining in the House of Representatives elections. On the state level, the APC also retained its House of Assembly majority but the gubernatorial election was prefaced by the unprecedented defeat of incumbent Akinwunmi Ambode in the APC primary, marking the first time an incumbent Nigerian governor was defeated in a party primary. His primary challenger, Sanwo-Olu, went on to win the general election by a wide 54% margin.

Ahead of Sanwo-Olu's term, the aims for his administration were improving transportation, health and environment, education and technology, entertainment and tourism, economic modernization, and security.[3] In terms of his performance, Sanwo-Olu was commended for economic and academic digitalization, road infrastructure repairs, urban renewal, his initial COVID-19 pandemic response, and some public transportation improvements.[4][5][6][7][8] However, his administration was criticized for poor distribution of COVID-19 palliatives, the BRT and Lagos NURTW crises, and alleged corruption.[9][10][11] Sanwo-Olu also came under fire for his handling of the October 2020 protest wave of the End SARS movement, most staunchly over the Lekki massacre when soldiers that Sanwo-Olu requested for crowd control killed multiple protesters along with the shooting's aftermath when the Sanwo-Olu administration rejected a judicial review panel’s report confirming the massacre and instead drafted a white paper denying any deaths.[12][13][14]

Primary elections

The primaries, along with any potential challenges to primary results, will take place between 4 April and 3 June 2022.[2]

All Progressives Congress

Some APC stakeholders have called for Governor Sanwo-Olu to step down, as to allow a Muslim candidate to run since a Muslim would not have been elected Governor since 2011; however, others claim Sanwo-Olu should be allowed to run for two terms before a Muslim candidate is nominated in 2027 and/or that Sanwo-Olu's first term should not be simply seen as an extension of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode's term (especially as Ambode is from Lagos East while Sanwo-Olu is from Lagos Central).[15][16][17] Another source of potential contention for Sanwo-Olu was the delayed endorsement from former Governor Bola Tinubu; Tinubu, a current presidential candidate, is immensely influential in the Lagos APC's Governance Advisory Council who's endorsement carried Sanwo-Olu to victory in the 2019 primary but Tinubu has not yet endorsed Sanwo-Olu for 2023.[18] Despite the delay, the GAC endorsed Sanwo-Olu in April 2022.[19][20]

On 20 April 2022, the APC National Executive Committee announced the party's schedule for gubernatorial primaries, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦10 million and nomination form price at ₦40 million with a 50% nomination form discount for candidates younger than 40 while women and candidates with disabilities get free nomination forms. Forms are to be sold from 26 April until 6 May; after the submission of nomination forms by 10 May, candidates are to be screened by a party committee on 12 May while 14 May is the date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses and LGA congresses are set for between 7 and 9 May to elect delegates for the primary. Candidates approved by the screening process will advance to a primary set for 18 May, in concurrence with other APC gubernatorial primaries; challenges to the result can be made on 20 May.[21][22][23]

Declared

Potential

Declined

People's Democratic Party

On 16 March 2022, the national PDP announced its gubernatorial primaries' schedule, setting its expression of interest form price at ₦1 million and the nomination form price at ₦20 million with a 50% discount for candidates between 25 and 30. Forms were to be sold until 1 April but the party later extended the deadline four times before reaching a final deadline of 22 April. After the submission of nomination forms by 25 April, candidates are to be screened by a party committee on 28 April while 2 May is the rescheduled date for the screening appeal process. Ward congresses are set for 29 April and LGA congresses are set for 5 May to elect delegates for the primary.[30] Candidates approved by the screening process will advance to a primary set for 21 May, in concurrence with all other PDP gubernatorial primaries; challenges to the result can be made on 24 May.[31][32]

Purchased forms

Declined

See also

References
  1. Oyekanmi, Rotimi (26 February 2022). "It's Official: 2023 Presidential, National Assembly Elections to Hold Feb 25". INEC News. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  2. Jimoh, Abbas (26 February 2022). "INEC Sets New Dates For 2023 General Elections". Daily Trust. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  3. "For The Record: Sanwo-Olu's 2019 Inauguration speech as Lagos governor". Premium Times. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  4. "RANKING NIGERIAN GOVERNORS, SEPTEMBER, 2019: Top 5, Bottom 5". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 20 April 2022. We note the partnership with an international technology consultant to digitise education curriculum in both public and private schools in the state. This has the potential to equip students with modern skills and technological knowhow that will give them a head start in life. We believe that Lagos will strike a significant milestone in the area of building a futuristic economy, as it concludes plans to partner Jet Systems Automobiles, an auto assembly company in Lagos, to roll out the country’s first set of electric vehicles in Q2 2020.
  5. "RANKING NIGERIAN GOVERNORS, DECEMBER 2019: Top 5, Bottom 5". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 20 April 2022. We note the current efforts at repairing the litany of bad roads scattered across the state, which has made commuting hellish for residents. Though we recognise the additional traffic congestion the repairs of the roads are causing, it is however expected that it will be worth it in the long run. We also acknowledge the recent opening of bids for the Fourth Mainland Bridge and commend the governor for taking concrete steps to bring the construction of the bridge to reality. This, we believe, will greatly impact positively on the traffic situation in the state and reduce the stress on the Third Mainland bridge.
  6. "TOP 5, BOTTOM 5: How Nigerian governors ranked in July, 2020". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 20 April 2022. The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu makes the Top 5 for the month of July, 2020 on account of his commitment to the vision of building a Smart City, principally through urban renewal and rural development...Though the urban renewal projects have come with attendant hardship, we are, however, convinced that they are necessary sacrifices to ensure better service delivery.
  7. "RANKING NIGERIAN GOVERNORS, MARCH, 2020: Top 5, Bottom 5". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 20 April 2022. Governor Sanwo-Olu gets a top five mention for practically throwing himself on the frontline, as a committed leader would do in or out of a crisis...We reckon that the pragmatic leadership offered by Sanwo-Olu largely facilitated and quickened the stakeholder response that saw to the building of a temporal 119-bed isolation and treatment centre in Lagos.
  8. "ICYMI…Ranking Nigerian Govs Jan, 2022: Sanwo-Olu's strides, Ortom's self-sabotage, Ikpeazu's shocker, Matawalle's mystery political bandits". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 20 April 2022. We acknowledge that the Lagos State Government under Governor Sanwo-Olu has made huge investment, and is still making, in the area of transportation, which is arguably one of the most important and critical areas of need of the nation’s commercial capital.
  9. "RANKING NIGERIAN GOVERNORS, APRIL 2020: Best, not good enough; COVID-19 exposes incompetence in high places". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 20 April 2022. For instance, while the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu promised food stuff for 250,000 households to last two weeks, what came out of the exercise left sour grapes in the mouth. The social media were replete with videos of overcrowded lines of people trying to access palliatives in different parts of the state only to end up with almost empty bags that could barely meet the needs of one person, while others claimed to have gotten such for a whole street. We are concerned that the state governors may never have planned to adequately support residents and citizens of their states to get through with total or partial lock downs or that their intentions were hijacked by politicians who took advantage, as usual, of government’s lack of proper planning to derail it for their own selfish interests.
  10. "Ranking Nigerian Governors Feb/March 2022: APC Govs' dirty fight, Sanwo-Olu's BRT snag, Wike's uncouthness, Umahi's meltdown". Ripples Nigeria. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  11. Olubajo, Oyindamola. "EXCLUSIVE: Sanwo-Olu increases Alpha Beta's monthly payment to N2.5 billion to fund Tinubu's presidential election". Peoples Gazette. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  12. Oluwasanjo, Ahmed. "Sanwo-Olu lied, Lagos governor invited Nigerian soldiers who massacred #EndSARS protesters at Lekki Tollgate: Judicial Panel". Peoples Gazette. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  13. Adediran, Ifeoluwa. "#EndSARS White Paper: Sanwo-Olu 'dancing on Lekki victims' blood' – Groups". Premium Times. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  14. Ayomide, Chukwuemeka. "Lekki Massacre: Sanwo-Olu protecting Nigerian Army officers, Ebun Adegboruwa says". Peoples Gazette. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  15. Akinsuyi, Temidayo. "2023: Can Sanwo-Olu Scale Second Term Hurdle?". Independent. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  16. Olaleye, Olawale. "Lagos 2023: The Amber Light Flashes". ThisDay. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  17. Akinsuyi, Temidayo. "2023: No Vacancy In Lagos Govt House, APC Leaders Tell Gbajabiamila, Hamzat, Others". Independent Nigeria. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  18. Irede, Akin. "Nigeria 2023: Will Sanwo-Olu get Tinubu's blessing for re-election?". The Africa Report. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  19. Adewole, Segun. "Sanwo-Olu gets second term bid nod from Lagos GAC". The Punch. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  20. Salau, Gbenga. "Why Sanwo-Olu got party's nod for second term". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  21. Majeed, Bakare (20 April 2022). "UPDATED: 2023: APC fixes presidential forms for N100 million, adopts indirect primaries". Premium Times. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  22. Angbulu, Stephen; Ayeni, Victor; Dada, Peter; Naku, Dennis; Ede, Raphael (21 April 2022). "Presidential primary: APC silent on zoning, Nigerians condemn N100m nomination fee". The Punch. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  23. APC Nigeria [@OfficialAPCNg] (April 25, 2022). "OFFICIAL" (Tweet). Retrieved 26 April 2022 – via Twitter.
  24. Odeyemi, Joshua. "2023: Sanwo-Olu Begins Second Term Race, Picks Governorship Forms". Daily Trust. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  25. Oyeleke, Sodiq. "Ex-Lagos commissioner, Abdullateef, returns to APC". The Punch. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  26. "Why Ambode May Return to His Unfinished Business in 2023". ThisDay. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  27. King, Akinwunmi. "Sanwo-Olu's Second Term Bid Stirs Controversy In Lagos APC". Independent Nigeria. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  28. "Tinubu 'Has Positioned His Son To Become Lagos Governor In 2023'". Sahara Reporters. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  29. Oyero, Kayode. "2023: Sanwo-Olu doing well, I have no plan to become Lagos gov, says Gbaja". The Punch. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  30. Angbulu, Stephen (21 April 2022). "2023: PDP extends sale of forms for fourth time". The Punch. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  31. Yakubu, Dirisu (16 March 2022). "[BREAKING] 2023: PDP Presidential primary holds in May". Vanguard. Abuja. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  32. Akpan, Samuel (17 March 2022). "2023: PDP releases pre-election schedule, fixes presidential primary poll for May 28". TheCable. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  33. Olatunji, Kehinde. "Jandor picks PDP nomination form, says Lagosians tired of APC". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  34. "PDP screens 48 aspirants for governor in S'West, S'East". The Nation. Retrieved 29 April 2022. Lagos aspirants are Shamsideen Dosumu, AbdulAzeez Adediran, David Kolawole, Jimi Karmal, Adedeji Doherty and Rhodes Gbadebo.
  35. Elegbede, Wale. "2023: Jimi Agbaje Denies Guber Ambition". New Telegraph. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  36. Okon-Ekong, Nseobong. "22 Political Want Lists for 2022". ThisDay. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  37. Olumide, Seye. "COVID-19: Lagos APC, Gbadamosi factor and 2023 guber politics". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  38. Olawale, Gabriel. "2023: Women Groups call on Oyefusi to contest for Governorship in Lagos". Vanguard. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
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