The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2027 gubernatorial consensus candidate for the state.
He made the announcement on Monday.
The announcement followed a closed-door meeting at Lagos House, Marina, where Hamzat formally declared his intention to contest the governorship seat before members of the State Executive Council and key party leaders.
Also present at the meeting were members of the Governor’s Advisory Council, including former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, and Ganiyu Solomon, among others.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Sanwo-Olu described the endorsement as a unanimous decision reached by stakeholders present. He described Hamzat as prepared and capable of leading the state.
“We just received the Deputy Governor, who came with a very powerful delegation of our leaders in the state to inform us of his intention to contest for the seat of governor of the state,” the governor said.
“It was unanimous with all of us to say that the Deputy Governor is a man who is fit and well-prepared for this job. He is a man who knows where all the rooms in the house are.”
Sanwo-Olu highlighted Hamzat’s experience and working relationship with him over the past seven years, noting his “integrity, loyalty, commitment, and support” as defining qualities.
“He is a man who has worked with me at the highest level of integrity, loyalty, commitment, and support, and so I feel personally honoured and privileged that he has given me this honour to inform me,” he said.
The governor thanked President Bola Tinubu, who he said was instrumental to the discovery of himself and Hamzat, as well as their working relationship.
“We thank our father, our leader, Mr President, who saw the vision… that long run is what is already being manifested here today,” he added.
Describing Hamzat as ready for leadership, Sanwo-Olu said, “This is a deputy governor that is worth a governor from day one. This is a man that has been built for this job, and we believe that he deserves to be given a chance to go and run this state.”
He further characterised the meeting as a consultative process involving party leaders and government officials, noting that the endorsement followed broad agreement among stakeholders.
“It’s been a very warm family meeting, and at the end of the day, it was unanimous that the Deputy Governor is fit, ready, well baked… for this job,” he said.
The development signals an early alignment within the ruling All Progressives Congress in Lagos as political activities gradually gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
