- Safiu Kehinde
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has endorse his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, as his successor for the 2027 Gubernatorial Election.
Sanwo-Olu joined other prominent Lagos political leaders to have declared their support for Hamzat’s governorship ambition.
The governor expressed his delight with his deputy as he affirmed his solidarity with him.
This is coming days after Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, endorsed Hamzat for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket.
Prior to Gbajabiamila’s endorsement, the Deputy Governor had also secured the approval of the Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa.
These would be crowned by Sanwo-Olu’s endorsement of the former Lagos Commissioner for Science and Technology while addressing the state government officials at the Marina House on Monday.
Addressing newsmen after the development, the Lagos governor declared Hamzat as the man fit for the job.
He highlighted Hamzat’s experience and working relationship with him over the past seven years.
Sanwo-Olu hailed his integrity, loyalty, commitment, and support which he considered as defining qualities of a right successor.
“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.
“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.
“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.
Sanwo-Olu further declared that Hamzat is ready for leadership, stressing that the deputy governor is worth being a governor right from time.
“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.
According to reports, he further characterised the meeting as a consultative process involving party leaders and government officials, noting that the endorsement followed broad agreement among stakeholders.