President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has endorsed Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 governorship election. The endorsement came after a meeting with the party's Governance Advisory Council (GAC) in Abuja. Hamzat voiced excitement and confidence in his experience.
Dr Obafemi Hamzat disclosed this on Monday after a closed-door meeting with President Tinubu and the GAC at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The group was led by GAC chairman Prince Tajudeen Olusi and attended by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who presented Hamzat to the president.
Speaking to journalists, Hamzat said: “These are fathers, they are leaders, they’ve seen a lot of Christmases, they’ve seen a lot of Eid El Kabir, so they have experience, and therefore I’m really, really excited that they brought me here to meet Mr President, and Mr President has blessed us and blessed the decision of GAC.”
He described his governorship ambition as “audacious” but expressed confidence from his experience as deputy governor. “Nobody is ready because the assignment is audacious. But what you have is experience. Having served as Deputy Governor of Lagos under Governor Sanwo-Olu, I’ve learned a lot. I know the room. I know where the kitchen is. You know, if you want to cook for people and you don’t know the kitchen, it doesn’t matter how good a chef you are; you must know the kitchen. So with God’s blessings and the support of all my fathers here, I really don’t have any fear.”
The move follows Governor Sanwo-Olu's public backing on Monday at Lagos House, Marina, and the GAC's unanimous adoption, including purchase of nomination forms worth N50 million. GAC chairman Olusi said the decision reflected consensus, dismissing other aspirants' objections, while affirming primaries per APC rules.
Hamzat, 59, served as Commissioner for Works under Babatunde Fashola and for Science and Technology under Akinwunmi Ambode before becoming deputy governor in 2019.
