KEY POINTS
- Rep. James Faleke endorsed Obafemi Hamzat for Lagos governor on X on April 10
- APC stakeholders settled on Hamzat after a March 23 meeting with President Tinubu in Lagos
- Party primaries in May will determine the final APC candidate for the Lagos race
Rep. James Faleke on Friday endorsed Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat for the Lagos 2027 governorship, posting his support on X and urging All Progressives Congress members across Ikeja Federal Constituency to rally behind Hamzat ahead of May party primaries.
“As we prepare for Party primaries next month, I urge all our supporters in Ikeja Federal Constituency and Lagos State to support Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat as the next Governor of Lagos State from 2027–2035 IJN. Amen!” the Ikeja federal lawmaker wrote. The endorsement aligns Faleke with a broader APC consensus forming around Hamzat in Lagos.
APC stakeholders rally behind Hamzat
Meanwhile, that consensus took shape at a March 23 meeting in Lagos where President Bola Tinubu convened senior party figures including House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ogun Governor Dapo Abiodun, Ekiti Governor Biodun Oyebanji and NRS Chairman Zaccheaus Adedeji.
A source present told Punch the discussions also yielded picks for Ogun and Oyo. “The choices of Hamzat, Yayi, and Alli were arrived at after a prolonged discussion with the President, taking into account the collective opinions of those present and the popularity of the candidates in their respective states,” the source said.
Primaries to test southwest consensus
Beyond Lagos, the APC backed Olamilekan Adeola, known as Yayi, for Ogun and Sharafadeen Alli for Oyo. Additionally, all three selections carry President Tinubu’s implicit approval from the March gathering.
Hamzat, who holds a doctorate and currently serves as deputy governor under Sanwo-Olu, enters the Lagos 2027 governorship contest with broad establishment backing. However, the party’s May primaries will determine the final candidate.
