2027: Tinubu Endorses Hamzat as APC’s Consensus Candidate for Lagos Guber

•Sanwo-Olu, GAC present deputy governor to president 

•Party insists primaries will still hold May 21

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has officially backed the candidacy of Dr. Obafemi Hamzat as the consensus governorship candidate of All Progressives Con-gress (APC) in Lagos State. This was made public yesterday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, via his verified X handle: @aonanuga1956.

Onanuga, in the post, said the candidature of the current deputy governor of Lagos State, Hamzat, as the next governor of the state come 2027 was endorsed by the president at a meeting with members of Lagos Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) at State House, Abuja.

He stated, “President Tinubu formally endorses the Lagos APC consensus governorship candidate Obafemi Hamzat at a meeting with members of the Lagos Governance Advisory Council (GAC) led by the Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.”

The GAC members, who had Tuesday unveiled Hamzat as consensus candidate, arrived the State House about 5pm yesterday and went into a close-door meeting with Tinubu.

Those at the meeting included Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbahabiamila; Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Hon Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Senator Ganiyu Solomon; Senator Mukail Abiru; Otunba Femi Pedro; and Alhaji Mutiu Aare, among others.

Speaking with newsmen after the meeting with the president, Hamzat said the team, led by Olusi, had come to present him to Tinubu, who subsequently gave his blessing to both him and the council’s decision.

Hamzat stated, “These are fathers, they are leaders, they’ve seen a lot of Christmases, they’ve seen a lot of Eid El Kabir, so they have experience, and, therefore, I’m really, really excited that they brought me here to meet Mr. President, and Mr. President has blessed us and blessed the decision of GAC.”

Asked about his preparedness for the governorship race, the deputy governor admitted the enormity of the task but expressed confidence in his experience.

He stated, “Nobody is ready because the assignment is audacious. But what you have is experience. Having served as Deputy Governor of Lagos under Governor Sanwo-Olu, I’ve learned a lot. I know the room. I know where the kitchen is.

“You know, if you want to cook for people and you don’t know the kitchen, it doesn’t matter how good a chef you are, you must know the kitchen. So, with God’s blessings and the support of all my fathers here, I really don’t have any fear.”

On his part, Olusi dismissed objections raised by other aspirants, including APC chieftain, Samuel Ajose, who had questioned the legitimacy of the consensus arrangement.

Olusi said, “We are in the arena of politics, and people are free to express their opinions in a free society. But I have been in politics for a very long time. I was part of the team that raised the system and have been part of every typical race. I know all the governors except one.

“It is part of the system that we come together, put our heads together and take a course of action. People are free to comment, but what they comment on is nothing with all of us.”

Despite the consensus endorsement, the party’s leadership reiterated that governorship primaries would still be conducted in line with APC guidelines to ensure a level playing field for all aspirants.

The party’s governorship primaries are scheduled for May 21, 2026, while submission of nomination forms closes on Monday, May 4.