The Coalition of Lagos Indigenous Youths has strongly opposed the recent endorsement of Mr. Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a candidate for the 2027 Lagos State governorship election. The endorsement was issued by the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL), a group representing youth organizations across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

In a statement released on Thursday and signed by the coalition’s President, Abdul Kareem Whyte, the youths emphasized that Lagos should be governed by its indigenous citizens, rejecting the endorsement as undemocratic.

“Our attention has been drawn to the recent endorsement of Seyi Tinubu for Lagos governor by a group known as the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL). While Mr. Seyi Tinubu has every right to aspire to political office as a Nigerian, we condemn this endorsement as anti-democratic,” the statement read.

The coalition further asserted that there is no room for non-indigenes to govern Lagos, pointing to the ongoing marginalization of local communities. They argue that this marginalization has hindered the state’s development, citing issues such as poor infrastructure, high debt, and the distortion of Lagos’s traditional systems.

“The marginalization is too much, and it has led to the underdevelopment in the state. Since 1999, our hinterlands remain underdeveloped, with no good roads. Lagos has been living on debt, and our traditional systems have been distorted by successive governments,” the coalition lamented.

In light of these concerns, the group called on the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Osuolale Akiolu, to stay vigilant as the 2027 election approaches, cautioning against individuals attempting to claim indigene status in the state.