I still believe I won the 2007 Lagos governorship poll – Obanikoro

Former Deputy Defense Minister, Musiliu Obanikoro, has claimed to have won the Lagos State governorship election in 2007, almost two decades after the polls, but said he has permanently shelved any ambitions of becoming governor of the state.

Obanikoro, a leader of the All Progressives Congress, made the remarks during an interview on the Mic On podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye of Channels Television.

The former Lagos commissioner, who contested the election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, said that despite the official result declaring former governor Babatunde Fashola of the then Action Congress the winner, he was convinced that victory had been denied to him.

“I also believe we won that election, but you know Nigeria is what it is,” Obanikoro said when asked if he shared the belief of many of his supporters that the election was manipulated.

Despite his conviction, the 66-year-old politician has ruled out any future candidacy for governor, saying his current focus is on mentoring young Nigerians rather than pursuing elective office.

“It is completely out of the question. I am 66 years old. At this age, we want to think more and do things that can adequately help the future generation,” he said.

Obanikoro lamented what he described as the erosion of Nigeria’s family and moral values, arguing that the country’s future depends largely on experienced leaders guiding younger generations.

“There is a need for people to mentor the next generation. The family structure has more or less collapsed. Our value system is in reverse.

“When you look at all this, the best thing people like us can do is to mentor us more. Let the next generation be calm and patient. Whether we like it or not, they will inherit Nigeria,” he added.

Speaking on his decision to challenge the political establishment of President Bola Tinubu in 2007, Obanikoro said he had no regrets, insisting that his governorship aspiration at the time was driven by a genuine desire to serve Lagos State.

“All I wanted to do was achieve what I had in mind. I wasn’t even thinking if I was fighting against my own family, Bola Tinubu’s political structure.

“I just felt like I wanted to be governor because, at that moment, I had so many things on my mind,” he said.

Obanikoro had defected from the Alliance for Democracy to the PDP before the 2007 governorship elections, where he emerged as the opposition candidate against Fashola.

His latest comments come against a backdrop of renewed political relevance following his recent appointment as Director General of the Obafemi Hamzat Governorship Campaign Organization ahead of the 2027 Lagos governorship elections.

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