POWER STRUGGLE ROCKS ALIMOSHO AHEAD OF 2027 AS APC, AREGBESOLA’S ADC CLASH OVER CONTROL

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

A fierce political battle is unfolding in Alimosho, Lagos State’s most populous local government area, as major political heavyweights jostle for control ahead of the 2027 general elections.

At the centre of the tussle are Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, former Deputy Governor and presidential aide on Sustainable Development Goals, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, and ex-Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.

Alimosho, often described as “Tinubu’s Country,” has historically delivered decisive votes for the ruling party since the era of former governor and now President Bola Tinubu. In 2003, Aregbesola, then Tinubu’s Commissioner for Works, led the electoral machinery that secured Tinubu’s re-election.

AREGBESOLA’S EXIT FROM APC SHIFTS BALANCE

Aregbesola, a long-time Tinubu ally turned critic, has since defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where he now serves as national secretary. His move has created fresh rivalries in Alimosho, where APC has positioned Orelope-Adefulire as its apex leader in place of Aregbesola’s loyalist, Abdullahi Enilolobo.

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Orelope-Adefulire, leveraging her royal and grassroots credentials, has been holding consultations with party leaders to consolidate APC’s grip on the constituency. Obasa, meanwhile, is building his own influence, with speculation rife that he may eye the governorship in 2027.

ADC MOBILISES, BUT FACES VIOLENCE

Aregbesola has embarked on a mass membership drive for ADC, urging Nigerians to reject APC, PDP, and Labour Party in 2027. However, ADC’s campaign in Alimosho has faced violent pushback.
Last week, suspected thugs disrupted an ADC rally in the area — an event attended by Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi and Lagos governorship flag bearer Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour. Several attendees were injured as police struggled to contain the chaos.

ADC leaders accused APC of sponsoring the attack, likening the ruling party to a “terrorist organisation.”

APC DENIES ROLE, SAYS OPPOSITION IN DISARRAY

The Lagos APC swiftly dismissed the allegations. State Publicity Secretary Seye Oladejo described the claims as “baseless,” insisting the opposition is divided and incapable of mounting a real challenge.

“They are already looking for excuses for their imminent defeat come 2027. APC remains the greatest stakeholder in maintaining peace and order in Lagos,” Oladejo said.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

The battle for Alimosho is more than a local turf war — it is a fight to control Lagos’s largest voting bloc. With 2027 approaching, APC is determined to retain dominance, while Aregbesola’s ADC and a coalition of opposition parties are plotting an upset.

For now, Alimosho stands as the political ground zero where Lagos’s future power balance will be tested.