Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday announced his endorsement of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as his preferred successor for the 2027 governorship election in Lagos State.
The endorsement followed a closed-door meeting at Lagos House, where Mr Hamzat formally declared his intention to contest the governorship seat before members of the State Executive Council and party leaders.
Also present at the meeting were members of the Governor’s Advisory Council, including Musiliu Obanikoro and Ganiyu Solomon, among others.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the endorsement was a unanimous decision reached by those in attendance.
“We just received Mr Deputy, who had come with a very powerful delegation of our leaders in the state to inform us of his intention to contest for the seat of the governorship position of the state,” he said.
“It was unanimous with all of us to say that Mr 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 said Hamzat’s experience in government and their working relationship over the past seven years informed his support for the deputy governor.
“He is a man who has worked with me at the highest level of integrity, loyalty, commitment, support, and so I feel personally honoured and privileged that he has given me this honour to inform me,” he said.
The governor also thanked President Bola Tinubu, saying he played a role in the political partnership between himself and Hamzat.
“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.
Sanwo-Olu said Hamzat had long been prepared for leadership and should be given the opportunity to govern the state.
“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 said.
He described the meeting as a consultative session involving party leaders and government officials, adding that there was broad agreement on Hamzat’s candidacy.
“It’s been a very warm family meeting, and at the end of the day, it was unanimous that Mr Deputy Governor is fit, ready… for this job,” he said.
The development points to early political alignments within the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
