ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- President Bola Tinubu has formally endorsed Obafemi Hamzat as the consensus governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State ahead of the 2027 election.
The endorsement followed a high-level meeting on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja between Tinubu and members of the Lagos APC Governance Advisory Council (GAC).
The delegation was led by GAC Chairman Tajudeen Olusi and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed the development in a statement, noting that Tinubu’s endorsement reinforces the party’s adoption of Hamzat as its consensus candidate.
Reacting after the meeting, Sanwo-Olu described his deputy as a dependable ally, saying the President’s backing signals strong confidence in Hamzat’s leadership capacity.
“I have no doubt that the vision for a greater Lagos we started together will have the leadership it needs to continue,” the governor said, adding that the endorsement reflects trust in Hamzat’s ability to sustain ongoing development in the state.
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The President’s support comes barely 24 hours after the GAC the highest decision-making body of the Lagos APC, unanimously adopted Hamzat as its preferred candidate.
Speaking after a meeting at Lagos House, Marina, Olusi said all 21 members of the council agreed to back Hamzat’s ambition, describing consensus as a strategy to promote unity within the party.
“The constitution of our party provides for primaries, but it also allows consensus as a means of ensuring peace and cohesion,” Olusi said.
Sanwo-Olu had earlier thrown his weight behind his deputy, stating that Hamzat possesses the experience and competence required to lead Lagos.
According to him, the decision followed wide consultations among party leaders, culminating in unanimous support for the deputy governor.
Hamzat, 61, has served as Lagos State deputy governor since 2019 and was re-elected alongside Sanwo-Olu in 2023.
Before his current role, he held commissioner positions under Tinubu’s administration between 1999 and 2007, and later served in the cabinet of former governor Babatunde Fashola from 2007 to 2015.
With backing from Tinubu, the GAC, and key party stakeholders, Hamzat’s emergence as the APC’s consensus candidate marks a significant step in the party’s early positioning ahead of the 2027 governorship race in Lagos.