Hamzat banks on Tinubu’s legacy, promises to fix Lagos gaps

The Lagos governorship campaign of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat has made continuity with President Bola Tinubu’s political legacy the centrepiece of its 2027 pitch, while acknowledging that the state must address persistent development challenges under successive administrations.

The Director-General of the Tinubu-Hamzat Campaign Council, Musiliu Obanikoro, disclosed this on Sunday as he announced that Hamzat would unveil his manifesto on Friday, October 30, outlining his plans for the state if elected governor.

The manifesto will be presented at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, formerly the National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, between 3 pm and 5 pm.

Obanikoro’s remarks offered an early indication of how the campaign intends to position Hamzat: as a candidate who would preserve the policies and projects associated with Tinubu and subsequent All Progressives Congress administrations, but who must also demonstrate how his government would tackle problems that remain unresolved.

“Lagos has made significant progress over the years, but we are not unaware that more work lies ahead. Our responsibility is to protect the gains we have made, address the challenges that remain, and build a state that offers greater opportunities to all,” he said.

The former Minister of State for Defence traced the state’s development to the administrations of Tinubu, Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode and incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, citing investments in infrastructure, transportation, education, healthcare, urban development and economic growth.

He said Hamzat would build on those foundations, but argued that continuity should not prevent a future administration from changing policies that had fallen short or responding differently to emerging challenges.

“Continuity is not about doing things the same way simply because they have been done before. It is about protecting what works, correcting what needs improvement and building on existing progress,” Obanikoro said.

He identified transportation, housing, infrastructure, security, healthcare and environmental management as major pressures facing Lagos, whose population he estimated at 25 million.

The state’s limited landmass, he said, made experienced leadership, careful planning and effective delivery particularly important.

However, Obanikoro did not set out specific targets for addressing those challenges, leaving the manifesto to provide the details of what Hamzat intends to do differently and how his administration would measure progress.

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In making the case for the deputy governor, Obanikoro highlighted his academic qualifications, private-sector experience and record in government.

He said Hamzat obtained a PhD in Systems Process Engineering from Cranfield University, England, at the age of 28, before working with financial institutions including Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and Citibank in the United States.

He also cited Hamzat’s service as a commissioner under previous Lagos administrations and his tenure as deputy governor under Sanwo-Olu, arguing that the combination of technical expertise and government experience prepared him to lead the state.

The campaign director-general pointed to the Blue and Red rail lines, road and bridge projects, school and hospital improvements, housing developments, and support for businesses and young people as examples of progress under the incumbent administration.

“Dr Hamzat will draw on his experience in government to build on these gains, address existing challenges, and deepen the progress for the benefit of all Lagosians,” he said.

Obanikoro said the campaign had consulted religious leaders, traditional rulers, market women, traders, young people, professionals, artisans and community representatives to ensure that their concerns informed the manifesto.

He described inclusiveness as ensuring that residents were not excluded from development because of religion, ethnicity, gender, social status or place of origin, while also respecting the interests of Lagos’s indigenous population.

The manifesto unveiling will be broadcast on Channels Television, Arise Television, TVC, Lagos Television and News Central, as well as on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, Obanikoro said.

The document will be made available for download after the presentation to enable residents to examine its proposals and submit feedback through party channels.

“The choice before Lagos is about the future we want to build and how best to sustain our progress,” he said.