Ajose pushes for direct primary
A top contender for All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Lagos State, Samuel Mawuyon Ajose, yesterday stepped up his campaign. He called on party leaders to choose a direct
A top contender for All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Lagos State, Samuel Mawuyon Ajose, yesterday stepped up his campaign.
He called on party leaders to choose a direct primary to select the party’s candidate for the 2027 election.
Ajose, also known as SMA Gold, made his appeal during a meeting of SMA Movement in Oregun, Ikeja. Coordinators from 20 local governments and 37 LCDAs attended, along with women leaders, youth representatives and grassroots mobilisers, showing the strength of his growing campaign.
The event was held to thank the movement’s coordinators and update them on the group’s stance as political events unfold within the Lagos APC. Organisers said the large turnout showed the movement’s growing grassroots support before the party’s primary.
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Speaking to the group, Ajose said a direct primary is the fairest way to pick APC’s candidate.
He insisted that every aspirant should have the opportunity to gauge his popularity among party members.
“We should go to the field and test everybody; that is how we will know who can deliver,” he said. “Regardless of who wins, we will support the candidate. But we must allow a fair contest.”
Ajose based his argument on the example of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who became the APC’s presidential candidate after a competitive primary, not by consensus.
Drawing parallels, he said: “Our President went into the primary and fought the battle; he did not emerge by consensus. This is what we are pleading for. Let everyone test his strength.”
Ajose also used the event to show his loyalty to President Tinubu, saying the SMA Movement was mainly set up to support the President’s re-election in 2027.
He said the group aimed to deliver at least 3.5 million votes for the APC in Lagos, calling the goal realistic given their ongoing mobilisation.
“We are delivering 3.5 million votes for Asiwaju’s re-election in Lagos. We are in this game to win; nobody should mistake it for anything else,” Ajose declared.
“As we are winning for Mr President, we are also winning for SMA Gold.”
He explained that building an independent campaign structure was a response to the 2023 general election in Lagos, when APC lost ground to the Labour Party.
Ajose said the SMA Movement was created to boost grassroots mobilisation and avoid a repeat of the 2023 outcome.
“We don’t want what happened in 2023 to repeat itself in 2027. This is why we are building this movement, to add strength to the APC and ensure a landslide victory,” he said.
Ajose told his supporters to ensure their campaign messages align with the party’s identity.
He reminded them that his name would not appear on the general election ballot.
“Remind the people that it is the APC that will be on the ballot. We don’t want anyone going to the polling unit looking for SMA Gold. What we are canvassing for is the APC,” he cautioned.
Ajose also spoke about the ongoing call for power rotation in Lagos.
He argued that the Badagry Division, where he is from, should have a chance to produce the state’s governor.
“Since Lagos was created in 1967, Badagry has not produced a governor. That is why someone from Badagry has stepped forward to show that we have the capacity,” he said, rallying supporters with the slogan “Badagry Lokan.”
He announced that the movement will hold another major event in Badagry next week. There, canvassers will be trained, and the group’s strength will be on display.
Earlier, a former member of the House of Representatives, Rafeequat Onabamiro, urged members of the movement to intensify grassroots mobilisation, particularly among women.
She said the SMA Movement was set up to support Tinubu’s second-term bid and stressed that women are key to winning elections.
“Over the years, it is the women who mobilise people around them to vote. We must use that strength for our party,” she said, adding that the group was not set up to antagonise other interests within the APC but to consolidate support for the President.
The Chairman of the SMA Movement, Dr Babatunde Mesewaku, said the group started in August 2025 and now has a presence in communities across Lagos.
He said the movement’s main goal is to help the APC and Tinubu win in 2027, and claimed it has led efforts to promote the President’s re-election in Lagos.
“Our structure is visible in every community in Lagos. We believe our efforts will not be in vain,” Mesewaku told the gathering.
He noted that the party has not yet announced how the primary will be held, but assured members the movement will follow whatever decision is made.
“Man can endorse, but only God can crown,” he added, urging supporters not to underestimate their ongoing mobilisation efforts.
Mesewaku also supported the call for inclusivity, saying that Badagry’s lack of a governor since Lagos was created is a main reason for the movement.
The Director-General of the SMA Movement, Abiodun Coker, urged members to prepare for the challenges ahead. He said the political contest will be tough but can be won with strong grassroots work.
Sunday’s meeting was not just about coordination. It also showed Ajose’s determination to stay at the centre of the APC ticket race in Lagos.
As party consultations continue and there is still no official decision on consensus or direct primary, the next few months will shape how the race develops.
For Ajose and his supporters, the message from Oregun was clear. The campaign is gaining momentum, and the push for an open contest is now underway.
