By Seyi Odewale
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday publicly endorsed his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, as his preferred successor in the 2027 governorship race, signalling an early consolidation of political forces within the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of what could become a defining succession battle in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
Sanwo-Olu’s declaration came during a high-level consultation visit by Hamzat and members of the powerful Governance Advisory Council (GAC) at the Lagos State House, Marina, where APC leaders and state cabinet members gathered in a show of political unity.
The governor’s endorsement is widely seen as a strategic move to preserve the continuity of the APC’s longstanding hold on Lagos and reinforce the succession model established under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s political structure.
“We are not going to hand over Lagos to charlatans who are coming to test their luck,” Sanwo-Olu declared.
“Hamzat is tried and tested; he knows every nook and cranny of Lagos. Mr Deputy is the best man for the job.”
In an emotional moment, both leaders reflected on their decades-long political relationship, tracing their roots to Tinubu’s administration in 2005 when both served in government.
Sanwo-Olu revealed that their political alliance was deliberately forged to secure what Tinubu envisioned as a 16-year progressive leadership plan for Lagos.
“After the merger meeting, our father and leader… told both of us that he saw a 16-year journey for Lagos,” Sanwo-Olu said, reaffirming Tinubu’s enduring influence over Lagos politics.
The governor praised Hamzat’s competence, intelligence, and leadership capacity, distancing himself from the common practice of governors choosing politically weak deputies.
“A lot of Governors always look for weak Deputies, but that was not for me,” he said.
“From Day One, I wanted the best partner to join the journey to build Greater Lagos.”
For Hamzat, the consultation marked the formal unveiling of his ambition to become governor, framed as a continuation of Lagos’ progressive governance model.
“Most people refer to Deputy Governors as spare tyres. Deputising Governor Sanwo-Olu in the last seven years, I have never felt or been treated as a spare tyre,” Hamzat said.
He pledged to protect Lagos from political regression, warning against forces he said could derail the state’s development trajectory.
“We must not allow Lagos to be drawn back from the progressive path,” he stated.
“As Lagosians, we must be ready to fight any battle… to protect this State from people who don’t mean well.”
Sanwo-Olu’s endorsement effectively positions Hamzat as a frontrunner in the APC succession race, though analysts say internal party negotiations and elite consensus within Tinubu’s political machinery will remain crucial.
The event underscores how Lagos’ governorship succession remains tightly controlled within the APC establishment, with continuity, loyalty, and political pedigree emerging as decisive factors ahead of 2027.
