Former Lagos governorship candidate Funso Doherty has announced his intention to contest again in the 2027 elections, expressing confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC) can be defeated in the state.
Speaking on Silverbird Television on Thursday, Doherty challenged the perception that Lagos is an APC stronghold, citing the 2023 presidential election as evidence. “In the last presidential election, who won Lagos? APC lost Lagos. That’s a fact,” he said. “The idea that the APC is untouchable in Lagos is simply not true.”
He confirmed he will run under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stating, “By the grace of God, I will be in the race in 2027, absolutely with the PDP.”
Doherty emphasised that voters, not political structures, will determine the outcome of the next elections. “What matters in 2027 is whether the people are presented with strong alternatives. The people will decide.”
Criticising the APC-led federal government, he said the country has become more divided under its rule. “Ethnic tensions are worse today than when this administration took over,” he said, adding that Nigeria now feels split between “a nation of the few and a nation of the many.”
He noted that while the government boasts of exchange rate stability and growing reserves, most Nigerians are struggling with worsening living conditions. “On issues like education, healthcare, income levels, and poverty, we’re in a difficult place economically.”
Calling for electoral reform, Doherty stressed the need for a truly independent electoral body. “People want an INEC that follows its own rules,” he said. “Even without amending the Electoral Act, we must at least enforce the current one.”
Despite concerns over electoral manipulation, he urged citizens to vote in large numbers. “If 80 percent of people turn out and vote decisively, even under today’s conditions, their will can prevail,” he said.
He concluded by advocating practical political reforms, acknowledging that structural changes—such as the process for appointing the INEC chairman—are unlikely before 2027. “We must deal with the realities before us and push for change within those constraints.”
