Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has endorsed his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, as his preferred successor for the 2027 governorship election.
The announcement came after a closed-door meeting at Lagos House, Marina, where Hamzat formally declared his intention to contest the governorship seat before members of the State Executive Council and key party leaders, Also present were all 57 local government chairmen, as well as local council development area chairmen.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Governor Sanwo-Olu described the endorsement as a unanimous decision reached by those in attendance. He said Hamzat had long been prepared for leadership and deserved to be given the opportunity to govern the state.
In a show of solidarity, Sanwo-Olu embraced his deputy and raised his hand before party members and leaders in a symbolic gesture that drew applause from those present.
The governor praised his deputy’s character, citing humility, integrity, loyalty and commitment demonstrated consistently throughout their years of working together. The development points to early political alignments within the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Hamzat’s momentum has been building in recent days, with Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa also publicly endorsing the deputy governor to succeed Sanwo-Olu, describing his support as wholehearted.
The broad show of support from the state’s political establishment positions Hamzat as the clear frontrunner for the APC’s governorship ticket in Nigeria’s most commercially significant state.
