By Peace Udugba
Several principal officers of the Lagos State House of Assembly have lost their return tickets in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, marking one of the most significant internal shake-ups in the legislature since the beginning of the current political cycle, The PUNCH reports.
A review of the APC candidates’ list for the 2027 Assembly elections, alongside the current composition of the House, shows that key figures including the Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip, and Deputy Chief Whip will not return under the party’s platform.
Among the most prominent casualties is Noheem Babatunde Adams, the Majority Leader representing Eti-Osa Constituency I. Adams, a central figure in the January 2025 leadership crisis that temporarily removed Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, failed to secure the party’s ticket for another term.
Also missing from the list is Fatai Mojeed, the Chief Whip representing Ibeju-Lekki Constituency I, alongside David Setonji, the Deputy Chief Whip and Deputy Majority Leader, as well as Adedamola Kasunmu.
Lawmaker representing Surulere I Constituency, Desmond Elliot, also lost out in the primaries.
The outcome signals a major restructuring of the Assembly ahead of 2027, with several leadership positions expected to open up if the APC retains control of the House.
The primaries produced a wave of new entrants across multiple constituencies, suggesting a broader generational and structural shift within the Lagos APC.
New entrants include Barakat Odunuga-Bakare in Surulere Constituency I, who defeated Elliot in a keenly contested primary, as well as Adeseyi Lawal in Ikeja Constituency I, Gbolahan Yishawu in Eti-Osa Constituency II, Mayowa Alakija, Toyin Gafar, Saheed Bankole, Saad Olumoh, and Rasheed Shabi.
The list also confirmed the continued influence of Mudashiru Obasa, who secured the APC ticket for Agege Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, while candidates aligned with him also emerged in both Agege Assembly constituencies.
Despite the widespread changes among principal officers, some key figures retained their positions. Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda is expected to return for Apapa Constituency I, alongside several other incumbents who secured renomination.
The scale of the outcome has fuelled speculation over the future leadership structure of the Lagos Assembly after the 2027 elections, especially in the wake of internal divisions exposed during the 2025 speakership crisis.
Party insiders, however, described the development as part of a broader strategy to rebalance political interests across different blocs within the APC ahead of the next electoral cycle and the governorship succession battle.
