LAGOS, Nigeria – The Governance Advisory Council (GAC) has adopted the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, as the consensus governorship candidate for the 2027 gubernatorial election in the state.
The decision was reached at a special meeting of the council held at the State House in Marina on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
Speaking after the meeting, GAC Leader Tajudeen Olusi explained that while the All Progressives Congress (APC) constitution guarantees free and open primaries for all aspirants, it also recognises consensus-building as a legitimate mechanism for fostering cohesion when necessary.
According to Olusi, the council carefully reviewed all available options before arriving at a unanimous agreement to adopt Hamzat, describing the decision as one driven by the need to promote peace, internal harmony, and strategic alignment within the party.
He noted that the meeting was specifically convened to examine the governorship position ahead of 2027, adding that consensus remains a viable platform capable of uniting stakeholders and preventing internal divisions.
“Consensus is a platform, a means that can bring us together, that can bring peace and unity,” Olusi said, stressing that the council considered it the most suitable approach in the current political context.
Also speaking, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, disclosed that members of the council had collectively agreed to fund Hamzat’s nomination form, demonstrating their commitment to his candidacy.
“They have all levied themselves and resolved to purchase the nomination form for the deputy governor as a consensus candidate,” Sanwo-Olu said, noting that the gesture reflects strong confidence in Hamzat’s leadership capacity.
Sanwo-Olu, however, clarified that the APC would still follow due process, including the conduct of primaries, in line with its constitution.
“With this endorsement, we will still go through the procedures. The primaries will still hold; this adoption is to show that the body is fully behind him,” he stated.
The governor further revealed that similar support structures were being mobilised at the national level, including efforts to procure nomination forms for the party’s presidential candidate.
The endorsement of Hamzat by the GAC is widely seen as a significant political development, given the council’s influential role in shaping party decisions in Lagos State.
