The Lagos State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Deputy Governor Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has unveiled a seven-point manifesto, pledging to prioritise residents’ welfare, infrastructure development, economic opportunities and accountable governance if elected governor in the February 6, 2027 election.
Hamzat, who unveiled the manifesto, tagged ‘The Lagos Promise (Ileri Eko),’ at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts (National Theatre), Iganmu, Lagos, yesterday, said he was seeking not only the votes of residents but also their trust.
He pledged to ‘respect Lagosians, work hard and uphold the truth,’ describing the three commitments as the principles that would guide his administration.
The manifesto, structured around seven pillars represented by the acronym P.R.O.M.I.S.E, comprises People First, Renewal, Opportunity, Machinery of Government, Inclusion, Security and Resilience, and Everyday Dignity.
Hamzat said the People First pillar would place residents at the centre of governance, with emphasis on healthcare, education, safety, dignity, accessibility and efficient public service delivery.
Under Renewal, he promised to pursue urban infrastructure development, including roads, power infrastructure, water supply, drainage systems, flood mitigation and waste management.
He said the Opportunity pillar would focus on expanding economic participation through enterprise development, trade, industry, job creation, skills acquisition and the digital economy.
On the Machinery of Government, the deputy governor said his administration would seek to improve institutional efficiency, local government administration, the judicial system and other administrative processes to ensure that policies translated into measurable outcomes.
He also promised equitable access to opportunities and public services across Lagos’s five administrative divisions, with particular attention to women, young people and diverse communities.
On security and resilience, Hamzat said his administration would prioritise public safety and the protection of lives and property, while strengthening the state’s capacity to respond to environmental and other urban challenges.
The final pillar, Everyday Dignity, he said, would focus on improving living standards, providing social protection and promoting the dignity of residents.
The governorship candidate disclosed that the manifesto contained 100 pledges, with 87 identified as firm commitments within the powers of the governor, while the remaining 13 were described as broader aspirations to be pursued without specific deadlines because they fell outside the governor’s direct control.
He said the foreword to the document was written by President Bola Tinubu.
Explaining his motivation for public service, Hamzat recalled an encounter with the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo when he was about 14 years old and a student of Olivet School, Oyo.
He said Awolowo’s remark that a nation rises when people of ability and honour choose to serve had made a lasting impression on him.
Citing Psalm 15, verse four, Hamzat said he considered the promises made to Lagosians binding and pledged to implement them faithfully.
‘I will respect, I will work and I will uphold the truth. These will dictate my approach to governance,’ he said.
He added that accountability would begin within the first 100 days of his administration rather than at the end of his tenure.
As part of the proposed accountability framework, he promised to sign an executive order establishing a Lagos State Service Delivery Board, which he would head. He also said every government office would be required to display a service charter.
Hamzat further promised to introduce feedback mechanisms, including town hall meetings across the state’s five administrative divisions.
On infrastructure, he said he would pursue the activation of the Fourth Mainland Bridge through partnerships and construct more inner-city roads to ease congestion and traffic challenges across the state.
He also pledged to sustain investment in healthcare, disclosing that 586 hospital beds were being provided in hospitals across Lagos. He promised improved welfare for doctors, nurses and other health workers.
The deputy governor assured residents, irrespective of their ethnic or religious backgrounds, of equitable treatment and inclusion in his proposed administration.
He urged Lagosians to support President Tinubu and APC National Assembly candidates in the January 16, 2027 elections, as well as himself and the party’s House of Assembly candidates in the February 6, 2027 governorship and state assembly elections.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who attended the event with his wife, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, gave his deputy three pieces of advice, urging him to listen to Lagosians, sustain ongoing projects and ensure a smooth transition to another competent leader at the end of his tenure.
Recounting their political journey, which began in September 2018 when he sought the APC governorship ticket, Sanwo-Olu recalled that Hamzat had stepped down from the contest despite his experience and support base and subsequently agreed to become his running mate.
‘He stepped down and never plotted evil, and he agreed to run as my deputy,’ the governor said.
He described Hamzat as the best deputy governor in Lagos’s history and expressed confidence that he would become the first deputy governor to succeed his principal as governor of the state.
Sanwo-Olu said the absence of a crisis between him and his deputy demonstrated the state’s political maturity, adding that Lagos had continued to serve as a training ground for future governors.
He said the state, which had produced leaders with backgrounds in accountancy, law and banking, was set to produce an engineer as its next governor.
The governor said he would be pleased to hand over to a successor who would consolidate existing achievements rather than dismantle them.
‘Across this country, successions have ended in courtrooms, in broken parties, in deputies at war with the men who chose them. In Lagos, the governor and his deputy walked into this hall together. They will walk out of it together,’ he said.
‘And in May, one of them will hand the other a state that is whole. There is no greater gift a governor can leave his people than a handover that does not break the house.’
Sanwo-Olu urged Hamzat to consolidate on the achievements of successive administrations, saying the state could not afford to experiment with its development trajectory.
He also said the choice of Damilola Sonayon-James as Hamzat’s running mate would strengthen the inclusion of young people and bring the Badagry Division further into the state’s political leadership.
Sosan backs continuity
Former Lagos Deputy Governor Sarah Sosan, who spoke on behalf of members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), said an administration of continuity was in the making, expressing confidence that Hamzat would build on the achievements of his predecessors, including Sanwo-Olu, Akinwunmi Ambode, Babatunde Fashola and President Tinubu.
She said continuity did not mean rejecting change but preserving successful policies, correcting shortcomings and adapting governance to emerging challenges.
‘Lagos is growing every day. More people are coming into the state, businesses are also growing, and our people expect more from the government. We must plan well and prepare for the future, and this is why the experience of Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat is important,’ she said.
Sosan noted that Hamzat had served the state in different capacities as commissioner and deputy governor, giving him considerable experience in government administration.
She said residents expected improvements in roads, transportation, education, healthcare, security, employment, housing and environmental sanitation.
According to her, the development of Lagos required cooperation among government, businesses and residents.
Lagos must move forward, says Obanikoro
The Director-General of the Tinubu/Hamzat Campaign, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, said the APC was committed to sustaining Lagos’s development and ensuring that the state continued to move forward.
He described the manifesto presentation as a reaffirmation of the party’s commitment to inclusive governance, sustainable development and broader opportunities for residents.
Obanikoro said Hamzat’s experience and dedication would help consolidate the achievements of successive APC administrations while addressing emerging challenges.
He called on residents to contribute ideas and offer constructive feedback on the manifesto, describing the campaign as a collective undertaking.
Hamzat won’t disappoint, Ojelabi assures
The Lagos State APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, expressed confidence in Hamzat’s capacity to lead the state, citing his experience in government, administrative competence and understanding of the challenges confronting Lagos.
He said the state’s next phase of development would require purposeful leadership, strategic planning and sustained commitment to improving public services.
Ojelabi identified infrastructure, transportation, education, healthcare, technology and economic development as priority areas requiring continued attention.
He said the achievements of successive APC administrations provided a foundation for further development but should not lead to complacency.
‘Lagos must move forward, not backward. Opportunity does not mean complacency. It must mean building through leadership, identifying shortcomings and driving greater progress with renewed determination,’ he said.
The APC chairman added that Hamzat’s experience in both the public and private sectors had equipped him with the knowledge and competence to manage the complexities of a growing metropolitan state.
He said the party’s vision included expanding economic opportunities, supporting businesses and young people, improving infrastructure and ensuring that the benefits of development reached communities across Lagos.
Ojelabi said the manifesto offered residents an opportunity to assess Hamzat’s priorities and examine the proposed measures for translating his vision into practical outcomes.