The Legacy LagRide Captains Support Group has declared its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group made its position known on Thursday during a briefing in Lagos to formally flag off its 20-local-government motorcade across the state in support of Tinubu’s re-election and Hamzat’s governorship ambition on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The mobilisation, themed “Continuity, Appreciation, Unity, Service and Progress,” is aimed at taking the group’s message of support and continuity to communities across the state.

Coordinator of the Legacy LagRide Captains Support Group for KOH/PBAT 2027, Comrade Steven Iwindoye, said the group’s decision to support Tinubu and Hamzat was informed by its belief in continuity, stability and sustained development.

He said, “We are gathered here today as Legacy LagRide Captains, united in purpose and driven by our conviction to support President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office and Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat as the next Governor of Lagos State, both under the platform of the All Progressives Congress.”

The group expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Government for the LagRide initiative, which it said had provided members with opportunities to earn a living, operate professionally and contribute to the state’s transportation system.

“We sincerely appreciate the Lagos State Government for providing the LagRide vehicles that have enabled many of us to earn a living, operate professionally and participate meaningfully in the state’s transportation ecosystem,” Iwindoye said.

The group also expressed special appreciation to Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for his administration’s contribution to the development and expansion of technology-driven transportation in Lagos State.

It said the vehicles represented more than means of transportation for its members, describing them as opportunities to work, provide for their families and contribute to the state’s economy.

Also speaking at the event, Executive Director of LagRide, Niyi Saliu, urged the captains to remain interested in governance, stressing that government policies affected everyone irrespective of their occupation.

Saliu said, “Governance is a major work and everybody should be interested, whether you are LagRide or you are just a cab driver on the street. Because whatever policy the government makes affects everybody. So, nothing should constrain anybody from being part of the process.”

He said the captains had the right to appreciate a government they considered beneficial to their livelihoods, noting that the LagRide programme had grown from about 1,000 beneficiaries to more than 3,000 people.

According to him, the government also subsidised the vehicles at a level he described as unprecedented, making it understandable for beneficiaries to show appreciation and support for its policies.

Saliu urged the captains to mobilise support for what he described as a progressive political agenda, saying the government could not achieve its objectives without support from elected representatives at different levels.

He said, “When you find a government that is doing all of this, and that government is in process of also passing the baton to another equally competent, equally progressive candidate, the brief is for all of us to come out massively and show support and fight for the future that we so really want for ourselves and our children.”

Saliu also urged the captains to support candidates across the different levels of government, saying the governor would require lawmakers who shared his vision and agenda for the state, just as the President needed members of his party who would support his agenda at the federal level.

On participation in the electoral process, Saliu said obtaining the Permanent Voter’s Card was the first step expected of the captains before embarking on a mobilisation campaign.

He said he had advised the group from the beginning to obtain their PVCs so they could lead by example before asking members of the public to participate in the electoral process.

“The first thing I told them was, go and get your PVCs. Because when you want to tell people to support you, support the party, you need to also have done it yourself, and be able to demonstrate that you are, in your own capacity, leading by example,” he said.

According to him, the captains had complied with the directive and were now at the stage of sensitising the general public on the policies and achievements of the government.

He said the next phase of the mobilisation would involve taking the message to the wider public and giving voters reasons to support the APC and its candidates.

“So, the state we are in now is to sensitise the general public, preach the gospel, let people know what this government has done, both at the state and the federal level, and give reasons to people who would have either voted another party, give them reasons why they should vote in PVC, from top to bottom,” Saliu said.

The Legacy LagRide Captains Support Group said its 20-local-government motorcade would serve as part of its structured mobilisation campaign across Lagos State.

The group said it would encourage eligible voters to obtain their PVCs, verify their voter information and exercise their constitutional right to vote.

“Our message is simple: Continuity for Lagos. Continuity for Nigeria. KOH for Lagos. PBAT for Nigeria. APC for 2027,” Iwindoye said.

The group also urged LagRide captains to maintain professionalism and responsible conduct, including compliance with traffic regulations and respectful treatment of passengers.

It said the vehicles would serve as moving symbols of its political message, but stressed that the conduct of its members should remain the strongest representation of the cause they support.

The group called on its members, supporters and other Lagosians to participate peacefully and responsibly in the democratic process, saying the Legacy LagRide Captains had chosen to support Tinubu and Hamzat “peacefully and democratically” ahead of the 2027 elections.