As 2027 Beckons, is Hakeem Muri-Okunola the Man Lagos Awaits?

With 2027 around the corner, Lagos politics has entered its quiet calculation phase. More and more, conversations are moving from slogans into the domain of succession, with one name popping out time and again: Hakeem Muri-Okunola.

HMO, as he is known, currently serves as Principal Private Secretary to President Bola Tinubu, a role he assumed in September 2023 after retiring as Lagos State’s 21st Head of Service. Although he has not declared any intention to run, within the All Progressives Congress (APC), he is widely viewed as a leading contender to succeed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

HMO’s appeal primarily rests on proximity and pedigree. He worked closely with Tinubu during Tinubu’s years as Lagos governor and later rose through the state’s civil service, from the Lands Bureau to Permanent Secretary, then Head of Service. Supporters argue that few understand the internal machinery of Lagos governance as deeply as he does.

For many party loyalists, perceived presidential backing is decisive. Recent public appearances alongside both Tinubu and Sanwo-Olu have only intensified speculation that he is a preferred successor.

But the path is not clear, especially with heavyweights like Femi Gbajabiamila, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Akinwunmi Ambode, and Tunji Alausa representing different power blocs and regional interests. Furthermore, don’t Zonal expectations, especially from Ikorodu and Epe, complicate calculations for a candidate rooted in Lagos Island?

There is also the question of electoral experience. HMO has built his career within the civil service and executive offices, not through contested elections. In a state where political legitimacy typically requires ballot-tested resilience, this absence may become a campaign issue. The average voter tends to overlook Lagos’ governance being as bureaucratic as it is political. Managing a megacity demands administrative continuity, so although HMO’s supporters see him as a technocrat who would maintain policy stability, critics argue that technocratic fluency does not necessarily translate into a broad-based political mandate.

For now, there is no formal campaign. But in Lagos, where succession rarely begins with posters, the conversation on HMO succeeding Sanwo-Olu is currently in progress.