The Governance Advisory Council (GAC), a powerful decision-making body within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, has formally endorsed Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as its consensus choice for the 2027 governorship election.
The endorsement was reached on Tuesday, April 28, during a meeting at Lagos House involving top party stakeholders, who reportedly agreed unanimously on Hamzat’s emergence as the preferred candidate.
Jubril Gawat, Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, disclosed in a statement that GAC leader Tajudeen Olusi announced the decision.
He also revealed that members of the council collectively funded Hamzat’s nomination form, a move widely seen as a strong show of internal support.
The endorsement follows closely on the heels of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s own public backing of his deputy, signalling a growing alignment within the state’s political leadership ahead of the 2027 race.
Hamzat had earlier indicated his intention to contest the governorship position during a closed-door meeting with members of the State Executive Council, senior party leaders, and the GAC.
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Governor Sanwo-Olu, while addressing the gathering, said, “We just received Mr Deputy, who had come with a very powerful delegation of our leaders in the state to inform us of his intention to contest for the seat of the governorship position of the state.”
He further stated, “It was unanimous with all of us to say that Mr Deputy Governor is a man who is fit and well-prepared for this job. He is a man who knows where all the rooms in the house are.”
Describing Hamzat as a prepared successor, the governor added, “This is a deputy governor that is worth a governor from day one; this is a man that has been built for this job, and we believe that he deserves to be given a chance to go and run this state.”
Sanwo-Olu also linked the development to political continuity within the APC structure in Lagos, associated with President Bola Tinubu, describing it as part of a broader succession arrangement.
The endorsements come amid earlier reports suggesting tension within the state’s political circle over alleged pressure on the governor to resign due to health concerns in favour of Hamzat, claims which have been firmly denied by the state government.