By Kayode Olopade
The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the 2027 Lagos governorship election after securing a sweeping victory in the party’s primary election.
Hamzat polled 657,000 votes to defeat his only challenger, Lanre Jim-Kamal, who garnered a single vote in the exercise that reaffirmed the deputy governor’s dominance within the ruling party’s political structure in Lagos.
The victory positions Hamzat as the standard bearer of the APC ahead of the 2027 governorship contest and places him in line to succeed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu after years of serving at the centre of governance in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
Speaking shortly after his emergence, Hamzat, in an acceptance speech titled “My Lagos Dream,” described the mandate as a call to greater service and pledged to consolidate on the developmental foundations laid by Bola Ahmed Tinubu and successive APC administrations in Lagos State.
He said the state had witnessed significant transformation over the past 27 years under progressive leadership and vowed to sustain policies aimed at economic growth, infrastructure renewal and social inclusion.
“With your endorsement, I would like to continue the transformative work initiated by our leader and father, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and sustained by Governors Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode and Babajide Sanwo-Olu,” Hamzat stated.
The APC candidate noted that his aspiration was driven by decades of experience in both the public and private sectors. He recalled his previous roles as Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology as well as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, alongside his professional experience with multinational firms including Citibank, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and Oando Plc.
Born in Mushin, Lagos, Hamzat promised to pursue an inclusive administration focused on improving the welfare of residents across all social and economic classes.
“I will work for all Lagosians — the fisherman in Badagry and Epe, the trader in Oyingbo and Mile 12, the youths in Yaba tech hubs, the hardworking driver, the mechanic and every struggling young person trying to survive,” he said.
He further outlined plans to prioritise infrastructure expansion, job creation, entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and improved healthcare delivery if elected governor in 2027.
According to him, his administration would sustain Lagos’ aggressive infrastructure drive, particularly in rail transportation, road construction and water transport systems aimed at easing traffic congestion and enhancing economic productivity.
Hamzat also highlighted landmark projects executed during his years in government, including the Lagos Blue Line Rail, Red Line Rail, Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, Bus Rapid Transit system and the Adiyan Water Works project.
Describing Lagos as Nigeria’s economic hub and one of the largest Black population centres in the world, the deputy governor stressed the need to build a more egalitarian and innovation-driven society capable of creating opportunities for all residents.
He expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, Governor Sanwo-Olu, members of the Governance Advisory Council and APC faithful across the state’s 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas for their support.
Hamzat assured party supporters that their confidence in his leadership would not be misplaced, declaring: “Together, we will continue to build a Lagos that works for all.”
No comments:
Post a Comment