[4] The primaries, scheduled for between 4 April and 9 June 2022, resulted in Sanwo-Olu being renominated by the All Progressives Congress unopposed on 26 May while the Peoples Democratic Party nominated Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran on 25 May.
[7] In the early morning of 20 March, INEC declared Sanwo-Olu as the winner amid protests due to considerable reports of alleged electoral irregularities, including voter suppression and fraud.
Ahead of Sanwo-Olu's term, the aims for his administration were improving transportation, health and environment, education and technology, entertainment and tourism, economic modernization, and security.
[11] In terms of his performance, Sanwo-Olu was commended for economic and academic digitalization, road infrastructure repairs, urban renewal, his initial COVID-19 pandemic response, and some public transportation improvements.
[25][26][27] Another source of potential contention for Sanwo-Olu was his endorsement by the Lagos APC's Governance Advisory Council and its de facto leader, former Governor Bola Tinubu.
[38][39] Oluwo noted that the screening committee never publicly submitted its report and Mustapha was physically prevent from entering the primary venue.
[42] While Mustapha and Oluwo initially rejected the primary and planned to challenge the results, they eventually declined to make a formal appeal.
[53] Analysts stated that the rally gave the appearance of national party support for Adediran's candidacy; however, five other candidates joined the primary race in the months after the defection.
[6] The weeks after the primary were dominated by the search for Adediran's running mate, with the party forming a shortlist of five: Funke Akindele, Teslim Balogun, Kolawole Vaughan, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and Yeye Shobajo.
[78] However, the state LP was embroiled in a crisis over its gubernatorial nomination as original nominee Ifagbemi Awamaridi repeatedly refused to step down for politician Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who had won the party's rerun primary in August.
Moderated by journalist Victor Oladokun, the debate touched on several topics including education, electoral violence, environmental protection, housing, police brutality, transportation, unemployment, and water management.
[97] In the following days, allegations of bias against INEC Resident Commissioner Olusegun Agbaje led to calls for his resignation while mass coordinated attacks on LP supporters before an Obi rally at Tafawa Balewa Square reinforced fears of further violence.
[104][105][106][107] Analysis on Rhodes-Vivour noted the detriment of his incomplete Yoruba fluency but focused on his connection to the Obi movement through his mixed heritage and history with the End SARS protests; additionally, Rhodes-Vivour outlined planned government reforms to combat flooding, traffic, and corruption with further focuses on social welfare and workers' rights.
[120] In the months before the election, dozens of reports from civil society groups and journalists along with LP and PDP supporters raised alarms over electoral violence and other forms of voter suppression.
Continuous attempts at suppression from APC-backed assailants along with bias from the state government and local police were reported throughout the campaign period.
[123] As the election neared in early 2023, suppression reports increased rapidly with both the LP and PDP accusing the state government and APC of destroying opposition banners and posters, attacking and intimidating of opposition supporters, and continued prevention of using billboards with the LP even claiming that the APC had infiltrated local INEC offices to discard the Permanent Voter Cards of non-indigenes.
[124] These allegations of INEC infiltration were exacerbated by controversies surrounding INEC Resident Commissioner Olusegun Agbaje; while some groups called for Agbaje to resign in the wake of perceived anti-Igbo statements, most criticism was leveled against him due to his decision to use the Lagos State Park and Garage Management Committee to transport election materials and personnel on Election Day.