Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has openly endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, as his preferred successor, declaring him capable of sustaining the state’s development trajectory when his tenure ends on May 29, 2027.
Sanwo-Olu made the declaration on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the manifesto launch of Hamzat and his running mate, Mrs. Damilola Sonayon-James, held at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
In what appeared to be a symbolic endorsement and demonstration of confidence in the APC candidate, the governor mounted the stage with a baton painted in the colours of Lagos State, describing it as a symbol of continuity which he would hand over to his successor at the expiration of his administration.
According to him, the campaign for the election of his successor officially begins with the manifesto launch, expressing happiness that Lagos is witnessing what he described as an excellent and smooth political leadership transition.
Sanwo-Olu, who described the occasion as one of the happiest days since his election as the 15th Governor of Lagos State, attributed the development to the wisdom, foresight and political sagacity of the state’s political leaders, particularly President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), APC leaders and other critical stakeholders.
He also expressed gratitude to God for what he described as a historic moment in the political history of Lagos State.
Explaining his confidence in Hamzat’s ability to succeed him, the governor recalled their longstanding relationship, which he said began approximately 21 years ago when they joined the same progressive political family.
He described their relationship as one that had grown beyond politics into genuine friendship and brotherhood, noting that their shared political journey had provided him with sufficient opportunity to understand Hamzat’s character, competence, leadership qualities and commitment to the development of Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu further recalled their nearly eight years of working together in government, during which Hamzat served as his deputy governor and occasionally took charge of the state’s affairs whenever official engagements required him to travel outside Lagos.
He commended Hamzat for demonstrating maturity, intelligence, competence and dedication in discharging his responsibilities, stressing that his performance had reinforced his belief in the APC candidate’s leadership capacity.
“Like any great athlete, my focus is on who will cover the ground ahead immediately. I have personally identified you, Femi, as a worthy successor, who possesses the energy, skills, mentality, temperament and experience to sustain the successes Lagos State has consistently recorded,” the governor declared.
Addressing Hamzat directly, Sanwo-Olu said he was not surprised by his outstanding contributions to governance, describing him as brilliant, hardworking, dependable, caring and loyal.
He added that their years of political association and working relationship had given him a deeper understanding of Hamzat’s commitment to public service and the continued progress of Lagos State.
The governor subsequently raised the baton again, declaring that, by the grace of God, it would be handed over to Hamzat on May 29, 2027, to continue their shared vision and journey of developing Lagos.
He noted that the confidence reposed in Hamzat was not based solely on their personal relationship but also on the recognition by the party’s leadership and elders of his qualities and capacity to sustain the state’s development agenda.
Sanwo-Olu particularly acknowledged the foundation laid by President Tinubu during his tenure as governor of Lagos State, describing him as the political leader whose vision initiated the progressive development journey that successive administrations had continued to build upon.
He also recognised the contributions of former governors Babatunde Raji Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode, noting that successive administrations had sustained and expanded the state’s achievements in critical sectors.
According to him, Lagos has continued to record progress in infrastructure, economic development, social security, education, healthcare, transportation, the rule of law and other essential areas through successive administrations.
He maintained that successive governors had not only sustained the development pace established by Tinubu but had also introduced innovative approaches and modern governance practices to move the state forward.
The governor’s remarks underscored the importance his administration attaches to continuity, particularly in sustaining ongoing projects, policies and development programmes capable of strengthening Lagos State’s position as Nigeria’s commercial and economic hub.
Sanwo-Olu subsequently invited Hamzat to step forward and present his manifesto to Lagosians, expressing confidence that the document would demonstrate why the party’s leaders, elders and his administration believe he is qualified to lead the state.
He urged the APC candidate to present his vision and development agenda to the people, assuring Lagosians that Hamzat possesses the necessary experience and capacity to consolidate on the achievements of previous administrations.
The manifesto launch, therefore, marked a significant moment in the APC’s preparations for the 2027 governorship election, with Sanwo-Olu’s public declaration providing a strong political endorsement of Hamzat’s candidacy.
With the incumbent governor openly expressing confidence in his deputy’s ability to take over the leadership of Lagos, the APC appears determined to make continuity and consolidation of existing development programmes central to its campaign ahead of the 2027 general election.
