In the 2023 elections, Obi polled 582,454 votes to defeat Tinubu, who secured 572,606 votes, while Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came third with 75,750 votes, according to results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Some of his supporters known as Obidients have promised he will win with a higher number in 2027.
However, Oladejo, in a chat with Daily Independent said the political circumstances surrounding the next election would be substantially different from those that shaped the 2023 contest.
He acknowledged the significance of Obi’s performance in Lagos but maintained that electoral victories did not translate into permanent ownership of voters.
“Peter Obi’s performance in Lagos in 2023 was significant, and the APC does not make the mistake of dismissing voters who chose differently. However, elections are not permanent inheritances. Voters reassess candidates, political platforms, performance and prevailing circumstances at every election,” he said.
According to him, the 2023 election was influenced by a combination of factors, including a strong youth-driven political movement, public dissatisfaction and enthusiasm surrounding the Labour Party’s presidential candidate.
He, however, argued that such political momentum did not necessarily translate into a sustainable electoral structure.
“The real test is whether that enthusiasm can be sustained, organised and translated into votes across wards, local governments and the wider electorate,” Oladejo said.
The APC spokesman said his party would campaign on the record of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the rationale behind its reforms, its interventions and plans for the future.
He added that the APC would rely on its established grassroots structure, governance record and extensive political network in Lagos to strengthen its position ahead of the 2027 election.
Oladejo said the party would not take its supporters for granted or assume that previous electoral victories automatically guaranteed future success.
“We are not taking our voters for granted, and we will not assume that past victories automatically guarantee future ones,” he said.
He insisted that Obi’s victory in Lagos in 2023 should be viewed as an electoral outcome rather than a permanent transfer of the state’s electorate to the Labour Party.
“Peter Obi’s victory in Lagos in 2023 was an electoral outcome, not a permanent transfer of ownership of Lagos voters. In 2027, the APC will make its case directly to the electorate and work towards a decisive victory for President Tinubu,” Oladejo said.