It is no longer the language of whispers. No longer the careful dance of ifs & maybes anymore. In the deeply coded theatre of Lagos politics, where signals are often subtle & outcomes rarely accidental, a defining clarity has now emerged: Dr. Obafemi Kadri Hamzat, is no longer a speculation, he is the establishment’s (GAC) most favoured reality.
Within the powerful inner sanctum of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the custodians of continuity & arbiters of succession, the decision appears not only made but firmly insisted upon. What once lived in the realm of conjecture has now crystallised into a near-certainty.
Barring any unforeseen, unplanned, or earth-shattering disruption, the standard-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State is poised to be none other than the current Deputy Governor, a man whose journey to this moment has been defined not by noise, but by discipline; not by haste, but by time.
The Power of Patience
At 61, soon to be 62, Dr. Hamzat represents a political archetype that is increasingly rare: the patient strategist. In an environment where ambition often roars, his has whispered, yet endured.
Twice, at defining crossroads, he set aside his own gubernatorial aspirations, allowing others to ascend. Such restraint is not weakness; it is power in its most controlled form. It is what can only be described as a deliberate stoop to conquer, an understanding that in Lagos, timing is everything, & loyalty is never forgotten.
That loyalty has now found its moment.
Legacy as Foundation, Not Crutch.
His story is not built on ambition alone, it is anchored in legacy. His late father, Oba Mufutau Olatunji Hamzat, was not merely a participant in Lagos politics; he was a force within it. Legislator, commissioner, party leader, & ultimately a monarch, his influence cut across governance & tradition.
More crucially, he stood among the early pillars that supported the rise of the then Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a relationship that still reverberates within the APC’s enduring power architecture.
In Lagos, legacy does not guarantee power, but it opens doors that others may never even find.
An Administrator Forged in Governance.
If legacy provides the roots, experience defines the tree.
Dr. Hamzat is not an outsider to governance; he is a product of it. From his days as commissioner under the Tinubu administration, through his strategic proximity to Babatunde Raji Fashola, both in Lagos & at the federal level, to his current role alongside Babajide Sanwoolu, his journey reflects over 2 decades of consistent, high-level public service.
More than 21 years in governance.
Across ministries, advisory roles, & executive leadership.
Within Lagos, & beyond it.
Few contenders can match that depth. Fewer still can rival its continuity.
Add to this his formidable academic pedigree, culminating in a doctorate earned, not bestowed from a top University abroad, & the portrait becomes unmistakable: a technocrat with intellectual weight & administrative precision.
The Arithmetic of Advantage!
Politics is not only about competence, it is also about alignment.
On zoning alone, Hamzat stands on firm ground. As a son of Lagos West, the most populous senatorial district, his candidacy satisfies longstanding expectations of rotational balance.
On religion also, he aligns with growing calls within the Muslim community for equitable representation at the highest level of state leadership.
On loyalty, experience, & preparedness– which counts for very much, he does not merely tick the boxes, he defines them.
Location: ✔️
Faith: ✔️
Experience: ✔️✔️✔️
Education: ✔️✔️✔️
Preparedness: ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
The Question of Contenders.
Yet, even in moments of clarity, politics allows for resistance.
Names like Akinwunmi Ambode continue to command attention. His supporters remain vocal, insistent on a return to complete what they consider unfinished business.
There is also Olajide Adediran aka Jandor, alongside other aspirants, each representing pockets of influence that cannot be dismissed outright.
Ambode’s case is particularly layered. History records that Hamzat once stepped aside in his favour. Whether that gesture will now be reciprocated, or politically ignored, remains one of the most compelling subplots in this unfolding drama.
Even within the extended political family, quiet signals, sometimes linked to figures such as Seyi Tinubu, suggest that preferences, while aligned, may not be entirely unanimous.
The Ghost of 2023.
Hovering over all of this is a recent memory that refuses to fade.
The 2023 presidential election in Lagos disrupted long-held assumptions, exposing a level of electoral volatility that the APC cannot afford to underestimate again.
The message was unmistakable: dominance is no longer guaranteed; it must be earned, convincingly.
For the party, the task is now twofold, not just to present a candidate, but to present one who can win decisively.
Certainty, With a Caveat.
So where does this leave the race?
Dr. Obafemi Hamzat is, by every measurable standard, the frontrunner. The establishment is aligned. The structure is receptive. The narrative is compelling.
But Lagos politics has never been a simple script.
Is he the most prepared? Undeniably.
Is he the most favoured? Almost certainly.
Is he inevitable? Not absolutely.
For now, the balance tilts heavily in his direction, perhaps as high as 90 percent. But in politics, it is often the remaining 10 percent that rewrites destinies.
The path is clear. The momentum is real. The moment is his.
But until the final whistle of history is blown, Lagos remains what it has always been, a place where certainty is powerful, but never absolute.
