Abuja, NIGERIA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially endorsed the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, as the consensus governorship candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upcoming 2027 elections.
The President made this declaration on Wednesday, during a courtesy visit by members of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
This endorsement follows a similar move by the incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who on Monday named Hamzat as his preferred successor. Sanwo-Olu’s announcement came after a closed-door meeting at Lagos House, Marina, where Hamzat formally declared his ambition before the State Executive Council and key party stakeholders.
Okay News reports that the dual endorsement from both the President and the sitting Governor significantly consolidates Hamzat’s position as the frontrunner for the APC ticket.
While the GAC and the state’s top leadership have signaled their preference for “continuity,” the move has not been without opposition. Another APC governorship aspirant, Adewale Ajose, has already publicly kicked against the endorsement of Hamzat, suggesting that the “consensus” label may face a challenge during the party primaries. According to the INEC timetable, party primaries must be concluded by May 30, 2026, leaving Hamzat just a few weeks to unify the party ranks and quell any emerging internal dissent.
Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, a seasoned administrator with a background in engineering and information technology, has served as Deputy Governor since 2019. His candidacy is being marketed as a strategy to maintain the infrastructure and economic momentum of the Sanwo-Olu administration.
