… Sanwo-Olu, Obanikoro, Sosan, Ojelabi seek Lagosians’ support for APC candidate, stress continuity

Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, the Lagos State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has promised to increase the state’s public bus fleet from 1,000 to 4,000, upgrade 100 primary healthcare centres and expand maternal and child healthcare facilities from 10 to 15 if elected governor in 2027.

Hamzat, who unveiled a 100-point development agenda for the state, also pledged to expand health insurance coverage, build two general hospitals, provide 580 additional hospital beds, improve access to affordable housing and create more employment opportunities for residents.

Presenting his manifesto, tagged The Lagos Promise (Ileri Eko), at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, formerly National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, yesterday, the deputy governor said his administration would prioritise residents’ welfare and ensure that government commitments translated into measurable improvements in their lives.

The manifesto, built around seven pillars, contains 87 firm commitments and 13 aspirations, covering healthcare, education, transportation, security, housing, economic opportunities, governance and environmental resilience.

Hamzat, who described a promise as a debt the government must repay, said his proposed administration would introduce measurable targets and a public performance scorecard to enable residents monitor the implementation of its policies.

He promised to extend the Ilera Eko health insurance scheme, which currently covers nearly two million people, to one in every three Lagos residents, with priority given to poorer households and vulnerable groups.

He also pledged to deliver new general hospitals at Ogombo and Ibeju-Lekki, complete ongoing projects at Massey Children’s Hospital, Ojo and Somolu, and expand access to maternal and child healthcare in underserved communities.

On transportation, the APC candidate promised to extend the Blue Line rail project to Okokomaiko, advance the Green Line from Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone and connect the Blue and Red rail lines through an interchange at the National Theatre.

He also pledged to procure 75 additional electric ferries, refurbish 25 ferry terminals and expand water transportation corridors by 140 kilometres under the Omi Eko project.

For road infrastructure, Hamzat promised to activate the Fourth Mainland Bridge through partnerships, accelerate construction of the Regional Road along the Lekki-Epe corridor and commence the second phase of the Opebi-Mende Link Bridge.

On education, he promised to strengthen the EKOEXCEL programme in 1,028 public primary schools, improve teachers’ training and review their remuneration. He also pledged to expand technical and vocational education and pursue the establishment of a University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

To address unemployment, Hamzat promised six to 12 months of workplace training for graduates of vocational and technical institutions, with the government bearing 40 per cent of their stipends. Skilled artisans, he added, would receive free certification.

He further pledged to make the business environment more accessible through a single schedule of lawful charges, easier access to permits and credit facilities, and increased participation of small businesses in government procurement.

On housing, he promised affordable mortgage arrangements requiring a 10 per cent initial deposit, single-digit interest rates and longer repayment periods, alongside the completion of ongoing housing projects.

The candidate also promised to extend the Neighbourhood Safety Agency to all wards across the state’s 20 local governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas, while expanding street lighting, CCTV surveillance and intelligence coordination.

On accountability, Hamzat said his first 100 days in office would include sending a bill to the House of Assembly for the establishment of a Child Protection and Nutrition Agency, setting up a Service Delivery Office and advancing a State Wealth Fund with an independent board and published accounts.

He also promised that government agencies would acknowledge complaints within 48 hours, respond within seven days and resolve them within 30 days.

The candidate urged Lagosians to scrutinise his manifesto and hold him accountable for its implementation, declaring: “Check it. Track it. Measure it.”

Meanwhile, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, former Deputy Governor, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan, and the APC state chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, rallied support for Hamzat, urging Lagosians to give him their mandate in the 2027 governorship election.

The leaders, who described him as an experienced administrator capable of sustaining the state’s development, said his record in successive administrations and familiarity with the workings of government positioned him to lead Lagos.

Sanwo-Olu gave a particularly strong endorsement, recalling how Hamzat stepped down for him in the 2018 governorship contest and subsequently agreed to run as his deputy.

The governor described the gesture as a defining moment in their relationship, saying it demonstrated Hamzat’s loyalty, maturity and commitment to the APC beyond personal ambition.

“Many men would have done it and nursed the wound. Some would have done it and plotted. Femi Hamzat did it, shook my hand, and five weeks later agreed to run beside me,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu said he had never forgotten the gesture, adding that his endorsement was based on seven years of working closely with Hamzat and witnessing his contributions to major government decisions and projects.

“I have never forgotten that. It is why I asked for more than a goodwill message today. I did not come here to be polite. I came here to testify,” he said.

He recalled that Hamzat’s contributions to the administration extended beyond public appearances, citing his involvement in the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Blue and Red rail lines and the Lekki Deep Sea Port.

According to him, Hamzat had demonstrated the capacity to provide leadership even when the governor was away on official engagements.

“When I travelled to bring investors to Lagos, he was in the room I had left, and Lagos did not notice that I had gone. That is the highest compliment a governor can pay his deputy,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu, who traced Hamzat’s public service career to 2005, when former Governor Bola Tinubu appointed him Commissioner for Science and Technology, said his subsequent service as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure under Babatunde Fashola and deputy governor since 2019 had given him considerable experience.

Making a case for continuity, he said successive administrations in Lagos had built on the foundations laid by their predecessors rather than abandon ongoing projects.

He identified the next phases of the Blue and Red rail lines, Fourth Mainland Bridge, Lekki-Epe International Airport and Omu Creek project as initiatives requiring continuity.

The governor, who said he had seven months left in office, also expressed confidence that the state would witness a peaceful transition of power.

“I am proud of the rail lines and bridges, schools, hospitals and other projects we have delivered. But I want to tell you the thing I am proudest of, and it is not made of concrete. It is this: Lagos is going to change governors without a quarrel,” he said.

He urged APC members to take Hamzat’s candidacy beyond the party, recalling that 657,917 members voted for him during the party’s governorship primary on May 21, 2026.

Earlier, Obanikoro, speaking on behalf of the PBAT-KOH Campaign Council, described Hamzat’s manifesto as a commitment to inclusive governance, sustainable development and expanded opportunities rather than merely a political document.

He appealed to party leaders, traditional rulers, religious institutions, professionals, traders, artisans and youths to support the candidate and participate in shaping his policy agenda.

Similarly, Sosan, who spoke on behalf of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), urged Lagosians to support continuity while stressing that it should not mean resistance to change.

She said successive administrations had established foundations that needed to be strengthened, while shortcomings must be addressed to meet the changing needs of residents.

Sosan acknowledged the contributions of Tinubu, former governors Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode, as well as Sanwo-Olu, saying Hamzat’s experience as commissioner and deputy governor had equipped him with an understanding of the complexities of governing Lagos.

She identified roads, transportation, education, healthcare, security, housing, employment and environmental management as areas requiring sustained attention.

Ojelabi also urged residents to support Hamzat, describing him as a candidate whose public service record, private-sector experience and understanding of government would be valuable in the state’s next phase of development.

He, however, cautioned against complacency over past achievements, saying the next administration must identify shortcomings and provide practical solutions.

“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 leaders maintained that sustaining Lagos’ development would require experienced leadership, political unity and collective responsibility among government, businesses and residents.