Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has endorsed his governorship ambition ahead of the 2027 Lagos State election.
Hamzat made the remark on Wednesday shortly after a meeting between President Tinubu and the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Addressing journalists after the engagement, he said members of the delegation, led by GAC Chairman Prince Tajudeen Olusi, formally presented him to the President, who, according to him, gave his approval for the council’s decision to support his candidacy.
“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,” Hamzat said.
He described the governorship aspiration as a “daunting” responsibility but expressed confidence that his experience as deputy governor had adequately prepared him for the task ahead.
“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, 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,” he added.
READ ALSO: Accord Party Denies Tinubu Endorsement, Backs Adeleke For 2027
The meeting in Abuja came just days after a series of political endorsements for Hamzat within 72 hours.
On Monday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu publicly endorsed him as his preferred successor, while on Tuesday, the GAC unanimously adopted him during a meeting at Lagos House, Marina.
The 34-member advisory council also agreed to fund the purchase of Hamzat’s N50 million governorship nomination form to support his ambition.
Reacting after the Abuja meeting, GAC Chairman Prince Tajudeen Olusi said the council’s position reflected a collective agreement among members, noting that objections from other aspirants were not enough to alter the decision.
He, however, stressed that the party would still conduct primaries in line with APC rules to uphold internal democracy and fairness.
Hamzat, 59, has been Deputy Governor of Lagos State since 2019. He previously served as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure under former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.