The fate of who to succeed Babajide Sanwo-Olu as next Lagos governor has been sealed, except the unforeseen happens.
And that person is no other than the current deputy governor of the state, Obafemi Hamzat, followed the conclusion of a closed-door meeting today, at Lagos House, Marina, attended by mostly members of the Governor’s Advisory Council.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Sanwo-Olu described the endorsement as a unanimous decision reached by stakeholders present. He described Hamzat as prepared and capable of leading the state.
“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”, Sanwo-olu said upon emerging from the meeting.
“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 is a man who has worked with me at the highest level of integrity, loyalty, commitment, support, and so I feel personally honoured and privileged that he has given me this honour to inform me,” he said.
“We thank our father, our leader, Mr President, who saw the vision… that long run is what is already being manifested here today,” he added.
According to Sanwo-Olu highlighted, the next Lagos governor, Hamzat’s possesses the requisite qualities for the job and these he enumerated to include: experience, integrity, loyalty, commitment, and support with a working relationship with him over the past seven years.
READ ALSO: Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu Challenges University of Lagos
READ ALSO: Hamzat: Why I Stepped Down For Sanwo-Olu
“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”, he stated.
Thanking President Bola Tinubu for what he described as being instrumental to the discovery of himself and Hamzat, as well as their working relationship, the governor described the meeting as a consultative process involving party leaders and government officials.
He said the endorsement of Hamzat followed broad agreement among stakeholders.
“It’s been a very warm family meeting, and at the end of the day, it was unanimous that Mr Deputy Governor is fit, ready, well baked… for this job,” he said.
Why I Stepped Down For Sanwo-Olu In 2018 –Hamzat
Obafemi Hamzat
The Eagle recalls 2018 in the build-up to chosing the next governor of the state how then frontline aspirant, Obafemi Hamzat decided to withdraw, giving reasons why.
The Eagle also reports that Hamzat, a former commissioner of works in the state, withdrew a day to the party’s primary election.
“I’ve resolved to step down and source resources together with my brother and friend, Babajide Sanwo-Olu”, Hamzat announced during a press conference
“So, all my supporters are hereby directed to vote tomorrow for Mr Sanwo-Olu to emerge as the governorship candidate of the APC in Lagos,”
“Apart from the fact that I can vouch for his personal integrity and intelligence, Mr Sanwo-Olu is someone I’ve had close interaction with over the years.
“We are both fortunate to have worked closely with the present vice-president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, getting the wise counsel of those I consider to be political fathers and mothers,” he had added.
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