By Yinka Giwa
The race for the 2027 governorship of Lagos may have effectively taken a decisive turn, following the adoption of Deputy Governor Olufemi Hamzat as the consensus candidate of the influential Governance Advisory Council (GAC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The decision was reached after a high-level meeting of over 20 party leaders, signalling a coordinated move by Lagos’ political establishment to consolidate power around a single candidate ahead of the elections.
GAC leader, Tajudeen Olusi, described the meeting as exhaustive, noting that members unanimously agreed on Hamzat after extensive deliberations centred on strategy and continuity in the governance of Nigeria’s commercial capital.
He explained that while the APC constitution guarantees open primaries, it also provides room for consensus arrangements aimed at strengthening unity within the party—an option the council has now exercised in Hamzat’s favour.
In a show of firm backing, GAC members pledged to jointly fund Hamzat’s nomination form, underscoring both political and financial commitment to his candidacy.
The latest endorsement reinforces momentum already building around Hamzat’s ambition, coming just days after he was similarly anointed by the incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, over the weekend.
Sanwo-Olu also reaffirmed the Lagos APC’s alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose influence remains pivotal in shaping the state’s political succession.
Although formal primaries are still expected to hold, the GAC’s endorsement is widely regarded as a powerful indicator of the direction of the race in Lagos, where such backing has historically played a decisive role.
With the machinery of the party establishment firmly behind him—and the sitting governor’s blessing already secured—Hamzat now stands at the forefront of the contest to lead Africa’s largest subnational economy.