First Lady Endorses Hamzat for Lagos Governorship Race

By Ibrahim Kegbegbe

Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, on Wednesday received a high-powered delegation of Lagos All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) at the State House, Abuja, in what has been widely interpreted as a significant endorsement of Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat’s governorship ambition.

The delegation, led by GAC Leader, Tajudeen Olusi, formally presented Hamzat to the First Lady at the Presidential Villa, commonly known as Aso Rock Villa, consolidating his emergence as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 Lagos governorship race.

Sources at the meeting revealed that the visit, which took place on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, underscored the growing alignment within the Lagos APC power bloc, with key stakeholders rallying behind Hamzat as the preferred successor in the state’s political succession plan.

Hamzat, who currently serves as Lagos State Deputy Governor, was accompanied by prominent party elders and influential figures within the GAC, a body widely regarded as the apex decision-making organ of the Lagos APC.

While details of the closed-door meeting were not officially disclosed, The Merit Newspaper reports that insiders hinted that the First Lady expressed confidence in the delegation’s choice and commended the party leaders for maintaining unity through consensus rather than a potentially divisive primary contest.

The development is expected to further reshape the political landscape within the Lagos APC, particularly as other aspirants are reportedly reconsidering their positions amid mounting pressure to align with the party’s consensus direction.

With this latest move, Hamzat’s candidacy appears to have gained a major boost, as the symbolic endorsement from the First Lady signals strong backing from the highest levels of the APC establishment ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle.