Olaolu Oladipo 
One thorny issue that has come to dominate discourse in the Lagos political circle is the likelihood or otherwise of one of the sons of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu taking a shot at the Lagos government house in 2027 when the tenure of the current holder will expire.
The rumoured ambition of Mr. Seyi Tinubu had initially gained currency a few months earlier when several youth groups had called on him to throw his hat into the ring and square up with other gladiators for the plum job, a possible move he has neither confirmed nor denied.
Rather than make any categorical statement on the issue, the activities of the young businessman and aspiring politician have largely demonstrated that such likelihood is not completely farfetched though the activities of the various groups urging him on seem to be muted for now.
Initial call and reactions
In January, a group that called itself, the Southern Youth Movement (SYM) called on him to vie for the governorship seat of Lagos State in the 2027 general polls.
In a statement issued by the National President, Promise Lawuru, the group insisted he is eligible to contest and will get all the needed support from both its members and other segments of the Lagos society.
“We Southern Youth Movement (SYM) hereby call on Engr. Seyi Tinubu to contest the forthcoming 2027 governorship election of Lagos State. Seyi Tinubu is qualified to be a governor in all ramification. Age wise, he is eligible to contest the governorship seat with every requirement from the constitution.
“Seyi is eligible; and the most important thing is that he is a Lagosian. So, we, youths of the Southern Youth Movement, are going round all the Southern states to make sure that the youths take over the affairs of governance across the Southern states. But first, we are starting with Lagos State. We will definitely go round all the other states in the South to make sure that youths take over the affairs of governance,” the group stated.
Hardly had the euphoria generated by the endorsement and the call die down than another youth group, Coalition of Lagos Indigenous Youths, rejected the call, saying rather that the aspiration was dead on arrival.
Without any form of equivocation, they maintained at a well-attended press conference in Lagos that there is “no vacancy for non-indigene as governor in 2027.
That notwithstanding there has been some other forms of endorsements for the young lad as groups such as Lagos State Igbo Youth Organisations (LASIYO) gave its support for the bid to emerge as the Governor of Lagos State in 2027.
Also at another press conference, the President-General of the group, Andrew Obioma and his deputy, Bellarmine Chimezie, maintained that they took their decision after conducting a thorough evaluation of Seyi Tinubu’s vision, leadership qualities, and commitment to Lagos State residents.
According to them, “His initiatives in education and skills development have empowered over 1,000 youths, while his infrastructure development plans aim to improve the state’s transportation network and enhance economic growth by 20 per cent.
Growing political clout
Those who have watched the activities of the younger Tinubu note the deliberate attempt on his part to carve a niche for himself as he is gradually creating his own unique political space out of the established structure of his father.
With his growing political influence occasioned by his decision to strengthen his father’s accomplishments, his recent engagements, particularly during Ramadan, frame the portrait of a budding politician charting his own path.
During the solemn Muslim month, Seyi made various cameo appearances in Northern states of Kano and Kaduna where he shared Iftar meals with everyday citizens and engaging with influential figures like Alhaji Aminu Dantata and Sheikh Ahmad Gumi. He did the same in some Southern states, particularly his home base of Lagos
This all go to show that he understands grassroots politics by making the deliberate connection with the grassroots both for himself and his father who is seeking a second term of office come 2027.
He has been carrying this out under the banner of the Renewed Hope Youth Engagement initiative, and political watchers have argued that these moves are a calculated effort to position himself as a bridge between the ruling class and youths, Nigeria’s largest voting bloc.
Rumpus in Lagos APC, GAC over ambition
Though activities towards the rumoured bid are still largely muted there appears to be some level of uneasiness with the organ of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, particularly within the ranks of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) whose members are said to be divided over the desirability or otherwise of the ambition.
GAC is not a constitutionally recognised organ of the APC in Lagos, the 30-man strong amalgam of ex-this, ex-that in the Lagos political circle is said to be a powerful and highly influential political organ founded by President Bola Tinubu to be the collective decision making arm of the leadership structure of the APC in the state.
The association has continued to operate as the unseen hand behind Lagos’ political machinery, often deciding who gets what within the state’s structure and is said to have been instrumental in the emergence of former governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode and the incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
However, the possibility of Seyi Tinubu stepping into the frame has raised questions about political dynasty, merit and the direction of the party in the country’s most strategic state.
Some stakeholders are worried that fielding Seyi, who lacks any track record of political office, could backfire, especially with Lagos being a politically sophisticated and economically complex state.
Tinubu put the council in place when he was governor in 1999 but recent development within the Lagos State chapter of the party and its membership is said to be divided over the Seyi Tinubu Project.
Led by a former commissioner in the Lateef Jakande government in the Second Republic, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, GAC is said to be in quandary over the rumoured bid and what it portends for a state of over 20 million people.
A member of the council who pleaded not to be named confirmed to Saturday Telegraph in a telephone chat during the week that the rumoured bid is currently causing rumpus within the APC with many members faulting the move based on what they (critics) see as sheer nepotism on the part of President Tinubu.
The politician who is a former member of the National Assembly confirmed the uneasiness within the party and GAC when he stated that “How do we justify this situation with the people considering the below the per level in terms of performance in government of his father.
“One thing that many of us fear is the fact that voters in Yorubaland can be very averse to situations like this and they might register their protests during the poll. Don’t forget that one of the daughters of our much cherished Chief (Obafemi) Awolowo who did so much for Yoruba people while alive was rejected by the people when she tried to contest the governorship of a state in the South West.”
Another member who is a former lawmaker in the state, maintained that there is nothing wrong in the likelihood of Seyi Tinubu’s emergence as Lagos governor and that Nigeria would not be the only place where such happens, citing other places like the United States of America (USA) as areas where such had occurred.
The source who also pleaded not to be named stated that “What is wrong with Seyi Tinubu seeking to be governor of Lagos State? Is he not qualified to be governor? For me, I don’t see anything wrong if he has such ambition.”
He stated that the younger Tinubu has demonstrated the needed youthful zeal and zest to function properly as the governor of the state if voted into office, citing many of the various engagements of the governorship prospect across the length and breath of the country as the basis to look towards his direction.
A chieftain of the APC in Ifako-Ijaye, Mr. Rufus Ajakaye, however maintained a conciliatory position on the issue when he said, “There is nothing really bad about his aspiration but what many might not find comfortable with it is the timing.
“People might wonder why the decision at this material time when his father is the serving president of the country? For me, I would have preferred a situation whereby he serves in a lesser position, say a commissioner for now and carve a niche for himself, so that when he finally sets out, people will look at him based on his own merit and not tied to the apron string of his father.”
Ajakaiye however urged the party, its leaders, particularly President Tinubu to dissuade Seyi from contesting in 2017 and allow someone else go considering the fact that the decision might cause some ill feeling within the ranks of the party, which might eventually affect the outcome of the governorship poll in 2027.
“Don’t forget that we had to struggle so well to win the governorship election the last time when we lost the presidential election to the Labour Party. A lot of factors caused this and many of the factors have not been properly addressed by the party, and drafting of Seyi for the governorship might further complicate things,” he said.
The support and the opposition notwithstanding, there appears to be a growing push for Seyi Tinubu’s governorship candidacy across the state by many members who have bought into the project.
One of the strategies being employed by his supporters is by positioning some of his loyalists to contest for key positions, including chairmen positions in the upcoming local government elections in Lagos State and the current local government electioneering season provides the needed opportunity for that to happen.
That move our correspondent gathered is currently causing ripples within the APC as many alleged that those who might eventually emerge council leaders might not be known to locales whom they are expected to preside over.
A local government chairmanship aspirant in Oshodi-Isolo who also begged not to be named because of backlash if identified said, “The gentleman that is likely to become the chairman of our council is not too well known to party members even though he lives within the local government.
“What we were told is that he has the backing of some leaders of the party in the state and from what we can see on ground now, he might eventually pick the ticket considering the fact that many of the aspirants are already stepping down for him.”
Checks by Saturday Telegraph suggest that many of the supporters of Seyi Tinubu are gradually digging deep and are said to urging him to declare his bid anytime soon. But he is yet to yield to them until certain things are put in place.
