President Bola Tinubu (2nd right); Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State (right); his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat (middle); elderstateman, Tajudeen Olusi (2nd left) and APC Chairman, Lagos, Cornelius Ojelabi, during presentation of APC governorship nomination form to the President in Abuja, yesterday.
•GAC backs him with N50m form purchase
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
A high-powered delegation from Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) met President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa yesterday, securing his blessing for Dr. Obafemi Hamzat as the All Progressives Congress (APC) consensus candidate for the 2027 Lagos governorship election.
“These are fathers, they are leaders, they’ve seen a lot of Christmas, they’ve seen a lot of Eid El Kabir, so they have experience, therefore I’m really excited that they brought me here to meet Mr President, and Mr President has blessed us and blessed the decision of GAC,” Hamzat told State House Correspondents after the meeting.
The 59-year-old deputy governor, who holds a doctorate in engineering and has served as Lagos Commissioner for Works under former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, expressed confidence despite the challenge ahead. “Nobody is ready because the assignment is audacious. But, what you have is experience,” he said, drawing on his tenure as Deputy Governor under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“Having served as Deputy Governor, I’ve learnt a lot. I know the room. I know where the kitchen is. With God’s blessings and the support of all my fathers here, I really don’t have any fear.”
Yesterday’s visit capped a whirlwind of 72 hours of endorsements.
On Monday, Sanwo-Olu publicly declared Hamzat his preferred successor at Lagos House, raising his hand alongside GAC chairman, Olusegun Osoba (Olusi).
The 34-member GAC unanimously adopted Hamzat as its consensus candidate during a special Tuesday meeting at Lagos House, Marina, and pledged to purchase his N50 million nomination form as a show of full support.
Olusi dismissed criticism from the APC aspirant, Samuel Ajose, who challenged the process as imposed rather than organic. “We are in the arena of politics and people are free to express their opinions in a free society,” Olusi told reporters at the Villa. “But I have been in politics for a very long time. It is part of the system that we come together, put our heads together and take a course of action. People are free to comment, but what they comment on is nothing to all of us.”
The delegation included Governor Sanwo-Olu, who addressed journalists in Yoruba. GAC clarified that primaries would still proceed on May 21, according to the APC guidelines, with nomination forms closing May 4, ensuring a level playing field.
