April 28, (THEWILL) — The Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the apex political decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, on Tuesday, officially adopted Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, as its consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
The major political decision was announced after a crucial closed-door meeting of the council chaired by GAC leader, Tajudeen Olusi, and attended by more than 20 prominent APC leaders and political stakeholders in Lagos State.
Addressing journalists after the nearly two-hour meeting, Olusi described the deliberations as “very exhaustive and engaging,” saying discussions centred largely on the APC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections, especially the governorship race in Lagos State.
According to him, although the APC constitution guarantees all aspirants equal opportunity through primary elections, the party leadership resolved to adopt a consensus arrangement in order to preserve unity, stability and continuity within the Lagos APC.
“Our constitution allows for primaries and guarantees equal opportunity for all aspirants. However, it also recognises consensus as a means of fostering unity and peace”, Olusi stated.
He disclosed that after extensive deliberations, members of the council unanimously agreed to back Hamzat as the preferred governorship candidate of the party leadership.
“We have all agreed that Dr Olufemi Hamzat, the current Deputy Governor, is our consensus candidate, and we have all pledged to stand by him”, he said.
Olusi further revealed that members of the influential political caucus had collectively agreed to finance Hamzat’s governorship nomination form as a demonstration of commitment to his aspiration.
“All our leaders here have levied themselves to fund the nomination form for Mr Deputy. They have committed to purchasing the form for him, even from their personal savings as retirees,” he added.
The GAC leader, however, clarified that the endorsement does not override the APC’s constitutional provisions regarding governorship primaries.
“Yes, the primaries will still hold. There is a laid-down procedure, and we will follow it. This consensus is to guide our position,” he explained.
Tuesday’s development came barely 24 hours after Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, publicly endorsed Hamzat’s governorship ambition during a strategic meeting with members of the Lagos State Executive Council and APC leaders at Lagos House, Marina.
In another major resolution reached at the meeting, Sanwo-Olu announced that the Lagos APC leadership had purchased President Bola Tinubu’s presidential nomination form for the 2027 election, reaffirming the state chapter’s loyalty to the President and his administration.
“We firmly believe in the vision of our leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We have bought his nomination form. This is a testament to the fact that we believe in the future of what the Renewed Hope Agenda will do for the good of Nigerians,” Sanwo-Olu added.
Hamzat, a former Commissioner for Science and Technology as well as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Lagos State, has served as deputy governor since 2019 and is widely regarded within the party as one of the key technocrats behind several governance reforms and infrastructure initiatives of the Sanwo-Olu administration.
The high-level meeting was attended by several influential APC figures, including former Lagos deputy governor, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro; former Senator Ganiyu Solomon; Senator Tokunbo Abiru; Senator Anthony Adefuye; Alhaji Bushura Alebiosu; and Cardinal James Odunbaku, among other senior party stakeholders.
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