General Election 2027: Barrister Barakat Bakare to Contest for Seat in Lagos House of Assembly 

Summary: Barakat Odunuga Bakare, the immediate past Special Adviser on Housing to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has officially declared her intention to contest the Surulere Constituency 1 seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly ahead of the 2027 general elections. She will contest for the APC’s flagbearer against Hon. Desmond Elliot, the current Senator. 

Barakat Odunuga Bakare, the immediate past Special Adviser on Housing to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has officially declared her intention to contest the Surulere Constituency 1 seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly ahead of the 2027 general elections. Her candidacy was made known on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at the Surulere Local Government Secretariat. She purchased and collected the  Expression of Interest and Nomination Form at the APC party office on Friday, May 1, 2026.

Barakat Odunuga Bakare is a prominent legal practitioner and politician. She earned a Law degree and a Master’s degree in International Commercial Law from the University of Bedfordshire. As a politician, she was appointed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in 2023 to oversee housing reforms and real estate regulation. 

She was also a former leader of the Surulere Local Government Legislative, serving two terms as the head of the legislative arm at the grassroots level. During her tenure as the Special Adviser, she spearheaded the Lagos State Tenancy Law, which enforced a 10% cap on agreement and legal fees to prevent the exploitation of tenants. She also facilitated the installation of street lighting across several streets in Ward E1, empowered women through startup support for small food businesses, and hosted the 6th Lagos Real Estate Marketplace Conference to foster dialogue between policymakers and international organisations.

Following her public declaration, the political leader participated in a week-long grassroots consultation tour across all political wards in Surulere to engage with residents and APC party stakeholders. Subsequently, she was endorsed by prominent Surulere stakeholders who vouched for her experience and competence, for continuous leadership in Lagos.

Barrister Barakat will contest the APC’s party ticket for the Surulere 1 seat against the Nollywood actor-turned-lawmaker, Desmond Elliot, who is pursuing a fourth term in office. The party’s primary election is set to be held on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.