Following a presidential directive that political appointees seeking to contest the 2027 general elections should resign by March 31, there are strong indications that the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, may step down to contest the Lagos State governorship election.
The Lagos Monitoring Team gathered that, barring last-minute changes, Alausa may tender his resignation next week, as his governorship bid has already received the backing of powerful political forces and blocs within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
A credible source, who requested anonymity, confided in our reporter that Alausa has been endorsed.
“Dr. Alausa has been endorsed by the main political blocs. He is a technocrat, a remarkable and outstanding professional, and he is also a Muslim, while the current governor is a Christian. After four years of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode (a Christian) and eight years of Governor Sanwo-Olu, the Muslim ummah have been agitating for another Muslim leader to govern the state.
“However, without dwelling on religion, as it is just one of the factors working in Alausa’s favour, the most important thing is that he is qualified, prepared, and ready to lead the state. This is what the power blocs have recognised,” the source said.
Born in Epe on April 18, 1965, Alausa previously served as Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare and is an accomplished nephrologist. He is a US-trained medical expert known for focusing on systemic reforms in both healthcare and education.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Lagos in 1993 and completed his residency in internal medicine at Royal Bolton Hospital and the University of Newcastle (1995–1997) before moving to the United States.
He served as Chief Medical Resident at Cook County Hospital, Chicago (1997–2001), and later worked as an Assistant Professor at Rush University Medical School. He also founded the Kidney Care Center and Dialysis Care Center in the United States.
As Minister of State for Health, Alausa worked assiduously and introduced various reforms focused on improving health indices and strengthening healthcare infrastructure.
As Minister of Education, he has prioritised strengthening the management of tertiary institutions, aligning curricula with industry needs, and improving university administration.
Dr. Alausa is widely regarded as a technocrat who brings private-sector experience and value-based management to public service. He is considered a strong contender for the office of Governor of Lagos State.
Aside from Alausa, there are several other serious contenders within the APC. These include former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; current Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; Chief of Staff to the President and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; former Lagos State Head of Service and current Principal Private Secretary to the President, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola; and Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Tayo Ayinde (Bufalo).
Others include the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa; Senator representing Lagos East, Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru; member representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Babajimi Benson; Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa; and Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Hon. Tokunbo Wahab.
While it is not yet confirmed whether Gbajabiamila and Muri-Okunola will resign to pursue their governorship ambitions in line with the presidential directive, developments in the coming days and weeks are expected to provide key insights into who has secured the backing of influential power blocs to succeed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2027.
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