Lagos 2027: GAC endorses Hamzat as consensus candidate 

…Pays for purchase of nomination form

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The Governance Advisory Council, GAC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos has endorsed the deputy governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, as the consensus candidate in the forthcoming governorship primaries for the 2027 poll.

The GAC is the highest decision-making organ of the APC in Lagos.

Earlier on Monday, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu expressed his support for the bid by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, to succeed him.

Governor Sanwo-Olu and leader of GAC, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, announced the adoption on Tuesday, after a closed-door strategic meeting held at Lagos House, Marina.

Meanwhile, the duo also announced that the 34-member GAC has also agreed to purchase the governorship nomination form costing N50 million for Hamzat as a sign of full support for his bid.

The council, however, clarified that despite the consensus, the party will still conduct primaries for all positions in line with the party’s guidelines in order to provide a level playing field for all aspirants.

23 out of the 34 GAC members were in attendance, which include Senator Tokunbo Abiru, Ganiyu Olawale Solomon, GOS, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Cardinal James Odunmbaku, among others.

Recall that the governor and his cabinet members who had earlier on Monday received Hamzat and members of GAC in a consultation visit, openly threw weight behind the deputy governor’s aspiration to run for governor.

The consultation meeting came immediately after the State’s Executive Council meeting, attended at the State House in Marina, where members of the cabinet and APC leaders in Lagos Central joined the Governor to receive Hamzat’s entourage. 

The governor and his deputy shared an emotional moment, reflecting on their political journey over the past seven years and how their paths had crossed early during their public service experience under the tutelage of President Bola Tinubu.

Sanwo-Olu recalled that he and Dr Hamzat used to sit next to each other in ex-Governor Babatunde Fashola’s cabinet, recollecting that no cabinet memo would scale through without their input and two others sitting in their row.

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