The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has directed all its candidates to remain in the country until after the 2027 general election.
The party’s state chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, announced the decision during the inauguration of the Tinubu-Hamzat Campaign Council at the APC secretariat on Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja.
Ojelabi said the restriction was part of the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections and its efforts to ensure that its candidates and members remain focused on the campaign.
“No candidate is allowed to travel outside the country until after the general election,” the chairman said.
He also urged party members not to underestimate opposition parties, stressing the need for unity and sustained grassroots mobilisation ahead of the election.
The Lagos APC chairman said the party had resolved to work together after the disagreements that accompanied its primary elections.
He added that the campaign committees had been deliberately structured to mobilise support across different parts of the state and deliver victory for the party’s candidates.
The Tinubu-Hamzat Campaign Council is chaired by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, while former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, serves as Director-General.
Lagos Deputy Governor and APC governorship candidate, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, also used the occasion to defend the administration of President Bola Tinubu and the APC government in Lagos.
Hamzat argued that the party should campaign based on its record and urged APC supporters to remain active throughout the election period.
He also called on party members to mobilise voters for Tinubu, himself and other APC candidates contesting legislative seats in the state.
Former Deputy Governor Abiodun Ogunleye, who represented the Governance Advisory Council leadership, described Hamzat as a capable candidate and urged party members to work collectively towards the 2027 election.
Obanikoro, meanwhile, called for discipline and commitment among members of the campaign council.
He urged party members to put disagreements behind them, work as a team and conduct their campaign within the bounds of the law.
Ojelabi also appealed to APC members to ensure that their campaign activities were free from hatred, thuggery and violence.
The Lagos APC said it would adopt a grassroots mobilisation strategy involving party structures across senatorial districts, local government areas, wards and polling units as preparations for the 2027 general election intensify.
