Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Babajide Sanwo-Olu became Governor of Lagos State in May 2019, defeating incumbent Akinwunmi Ambode in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election before winning the general election. His emergence surprised many political observers, as Ambode had been expected to secure a second term. Sanwo-Olu's candidacy was strongly backed by Bola Tinubu, the influential former Lagos governor and APC national leader, marking another chapter in Lagos State's closely managed political succession.

The 2019 Lagos governorship race highlighted the continued influence of political godfathers in Nigerian state politics. Ambode had fallen out of favor with key party stakeholders despite his infrastructure projects and economic initiatives during his first term. Sanwo-Olu, a former Commissioner for Budget and Planning under previous Lagos administrations, represented continuity with the established political network that has governed Lagos since 1999. His background in public administration and finance positioned him as a technocratic choice within the existing power structure.