2027: Hazmat is a better candidate to govern Lagos – APC

Lagos State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reiterated the need for the electorate to vote its gubernatorial candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, in the general elections, stressing that he possessed the experience and skill to move the state forward.

According to APC, Hamzat was the most qualified among the candidates that were jostling to rule the state.

It stated that there came a time in the political evolution of a society when the most important question was not simply who wanted the job, but who was prepared for the job.

The party in a press statement signed by its spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, stated that for Lagos in 2027, the question of who wanted the job deserved an honest, dispassionate and intellectually rigorous examination.

The party noted that Lagos had spent more than two decades building a distinctive development model founded on continuity, institutional memory, long-term planning and successive administrations building upon the foundations laid by their predecessors.

“The logical question, therefore, is whether Lagos should throw that accumulated experience overboard or consolidate it with a man who has been part of the architecture of the state’s development for over two decades.

The party stated that its candidate was well groomed in governance having held many prominent positions in the state.

“It means that before Lagos entrusted him with public responsibilities, he had already operated in environments where competence, systems, accountability and performance were not optional extras.”

It further stated, “In 2005, Hamzat entered the Lagos State Executive Council as Commissioner for Science and Technology under Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He was retained by Governor Babatunde Fashola and subsequently became Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure. He later served as a technical adviser on works and infrastructure at the federal level.”

The statement noted that his exposure placed him at the centre of some of the most consequential phases of Lagos’ transformation.

The party stated that Hamzat also should be commended for  perseverance.

“In 2018, Hamzat sought the APC governorship ticket. He subsequently became the running mate to Babajide Sanwo-Olu and was elected Deputy Governor in 2019.

“The ticket was returned to office in 2023. In 2026, the Lagos APC  adopted him as its consensus governorship candidate for 2027.”

APC stated that the state did not require an inexperienced person that will come to experiment governance in the state.

“Lagos is a state of over 20 million people, a global commercial centre and one of Africa’s most consequential urban economies.

“The next governor will inherit an administration with ongoing programmes and long-term projects in transportation, infrastructure, housing, healthcare, education, technology, environmental management and economic development.

“The question should, therefore, be whether the next administration will possess sufficient institutional understanding to sustain, improve and complete what deserves to be sustained and completed,” the statement said.