‘Hamzat Sacrificed Governorship Ambition for Me in 2018’ — Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has praised his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, for putting aside his ambition to become governor in 2018 and supporting his emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.

Sanwo-Olu said Hamzat had the credentials, political backing and experience to pursue the governorship seat but chose to respect the decision of party leaders, who asked him to step aside in his favour.

The governor made the revelation in a Friday post on his X account, describing Hamzat’s decision to withdraw from the race and later become his running mate as an uncommon display of loyalty and personal sacrifice.

“Back in September 2018, Femi Hamzat wanted to be Governor of Lagos State. He had thirteen years of public service under Asiwaju and BRF, with the record and backing to win. Then party leaders asked him to step aside for me.

“It takes a rare man to put down what he wants without nursing a grudge. Femi shook my hand and five weeks later, agreed to run beside me. I have never forgotten that,” he wrote.

Hamzat had withdrawn from the 2018 governorship contest in September and appealed to his supporters to rally behind Sanwo-Olu during the APC primary.

Seven years after their emergence as governor and deputy governor, Sanwo-Olu said Hamzat had remained dependable, noting that they had worked together for 2,711 days without any doubts about his commitment to the administration.

“In many states, deputies are kept in reserve. On day one, Femi promised to be the best deputy governor in Lagos history. He kept his word. In seven years, there has not been a single day I wondered whose side he was on. We have had one government, one direction, and one voice,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu listed Hamzat’s contributions to the state’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of major infrastructure projects, including the Blue and Red rail lines and the Lekki Deep Sea Port.

He said Hamzat’s engineering background had helped him provide technical input on important projects and participate in major decisions taken by the administration.

The governor also pointed to Hamzat’s experience in previous Lagos administrations, where he served as Commissioner for Science and Technology under Bola Tinubu and Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure under Babatunde Fashola.

Using a relay race as an analogy for the state’s political leadership, Sanwo-Olu said Lagos had maintained a system of leadership succession over the past 27 years.

“Lagos runs on a relay system. The baton is never passed to a runner standing still. You run at full speed inside the exchange zone, together, before the pass. That is how Lagos has been governed for 27 years, from Asiwaju to BRF, to Ambode, to me,” he said.

He further praised Hamzat’s role in the construction of the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge during Fashola’s administration and the digitisation of government operations under Tinubu.

“Femi is a deputy governor like no other. He built the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge under Fashola, digitized government under Asiwaju and holds a doctorate in engineering. His father served Lateef Jakande. This is in his blood,” Sanwo-Olu added.

The governor’s statement comes shortly after Hamzat unveiled his 2027 governorship manifesto, titled The Lagos PROMISE, as he prepares to contest for the state’s top political office.

Sanwo-Olu urged residents to support his deputy, arguing that his ambition fits into Lagos’ established pattern of leadership succession since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

“Critics say Lagos keeps choosing from the same pool. I say Lagos trains its people. With major projects underway and a master plan stretching to 2052, this is not the time to experiment.

“Lagos does not hand the baton to a man standing still. Today, you have seen the man who is already running. Let us move forward together with The Lagos PROMISE,” he said.

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