… As Sanwo-Olu, Ojelabi, Others Laud Guber Candidate’s Capability
Lagos State Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Deputy Governor, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has unveiled a 100-point development agenda for the state, while calling on residents of the state to trust him as he seeks their mandate for the 2027 governorship election.
The Lagos APC governorship candidate promised that if elected governor in 2027,
to expand public transportation, deliver affordable housing, strengthen neighbourhood security and improve access to potable water
While unveiling the proposal during the Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat (KOH) Manifesto & Campaign Theme Launch at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts (National Theatre), Iganmu, Lagos, on Friday, Hamzat said that his ambition was to build a Lagos that works for all residents, promising an administration focused on development, inclusion and improved living conditions.
At the event, themed: “Lagos… Forward Together,” Hamzat promised to run a government that renders services that are beneficial to the people.
Speaking on public transportation, Hamzat promised to increase the state’s bus fleet from the current 1,000 to 4,000, with a target of transporting one million passengers daily.
He also said that he would expand the rail network, extend the Blue Line to Ogbebe-Mindene, establish an interchange connecting the Blue and Red lines at the National Theatre Station and work with the Federal Government to extend the Green Line from Marina.
The APC candidate projected that the Blue Line would transport 250,000 passengers daily when it reaches Trade Fair Station early next year.
On road infrastructure, Hamzat said he would activate the Fourth Mainland Bridge through partnerships, accelerate the regional road along the Lake Yembe axis and commence the second phase of the Ogbebe-Mindene Link Bridge to connect with the Third Axial Road.
Hamzat also outlined plans to expand water transportation through an additional 140-kilometre water corridor, optimise 15 ferry routes, rehabilitate 27 of the state’s 47 ferry terminals and procure 75 electric ferries.
He said his administration would integrate road, rail and water transportation through a unified ticketing and timetable system.
“Lagos is a water state. The lagoon must therefore be our third highway. One ticket, one timetable, one integrated service across rail, road and water,” he said.
On housing, Hamzat promised to complete several ongoing projects across the state and introduce affordable homeownership schemes through partnerships with private developers.
Among the projects he listed were Egbo Igodo Clusters 2 and 3, Lagos Homes Shongote Do Phase 2, Lagos Homes Ipeche Phases 2 and 3, the workers’ village at Ipaja and Beacon Apartments at Ipaja.
He also pledged to improve access to mortgage facilities through a 10 per cent initial deposit, single-digit interest rates and longer repayment periods.
On security, the APC candidate promised to strengthen the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency and extend its operations to every ward across the state’s 20 local government areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas.
He said his administration would expand street lighting and CCTV surveillance in residential communities, establish a state intelligence centre to tackle cybercrime, financial crimes and organised criminal activities, and improve the welfare of security personnel.
According to him, this would involve recruiting and training more personnel, providing better accommodation and reviewing their welfare packages in line with the prevailing cost of living.
He, however, promised greater accountability in security operations, including the establishment of an independent body to review complaints against officers and the agency.
On water supply, Hamzat disclosed that a 17-million-gallon water treatment facility was under construction and had been funded, adding that it would provide clean water to an additional six million residents upon completion.
He also promised to rehabilitate 24 micro and mini waterworks, repair water mains and expand the public water distribution network.
The APC candidate further pledged to strengthen waste management through improved community-based collection systems, targeting 95 per cent coverage by optimising the operations of Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators.
He said his administration would complete the transfer loading stations at Olusosun and Solis 3, alongside a recovery facility and a waste-to-energy plant at Agbara.
Hamzat also promised to integrate about 30,000 Lagos residents engaged in waste collection and sorting into the formal waste management system through training and other support initiatives.
Lagos State Chairman of the APC in Lagos State, Cornelius Ojelabi, said that the event is a reaffirmation of APC commitment to the people, and a road map for the future we seek to build together.
He noted that a “manifesto is a covenant between a political party, its candidates, and their electorate, a commitment to translate vision into action, and policies into tangible results.”
He said that as the governing party in Lagos State, the APC is proud of its achievements and determined to do more.
The APC chieftain said that the party has consistently demonstrated purposeful leadership, strategic planning, and a commitment to sustainable development.
Listing their achievements in infrastructure, transportation, education, healthcare, housing, technology, and economic development provide a solid foundation for innovation, Ojelabi said that the party recognize that the demand for a rapidly growing Lagos City requires continuous innovation, improved service delivery, and fresh solutions. Our position is clear.
“Lagos must move forward, not backward. It does not mean complacency. It must mean building on proven achievements, correcting identified shortcomings, and pursuing greater progress with renewed determination.
“This is why we have confidence in Dr. Kadri Obafemi-Hamzat, his professional experience, public service record, and tenure as deputy governor have equipped him with the knowledge and competence required to navigate the complexity of governing a modern mega-city. We believe in his experience, institutional understanding, and commitment to development,
he is sure to lead Lagos into its next phase of growth. His manifesto must speak directly to the aspiration of our people, expanding economic opportunities, strengthening public services, improving infrastructure, supporting enterprises, empowering young people, and ensuring that the benefit of development reaches every community across the state.”
The Lagos APC chairman affirmed that the party”remain committed to inclusive governance that recognizes the contributions of our indigenous communities while embracing the diversity that makes Lagos a home for all.
He said that Hamzat’s manifesto provides an opportunity for “Lagos residents to examine their candidates’ priorities and understand the practical steps through which his vision will be realized.
“A credible manifesto must go beyond attractive promises.It must offer realistic solutions, measurable objectives, and a commitment to accountability and effective implementation,” Ojelabi added.
Speaking at the event, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu urged residents to support the APC led administration in the state to allow for completion of ongoing development projects, adding that they require continuity rather than experimentation.
While describing Hamzat, his deputy for seven years, as an experienced public administrator who had been part of the state’s governance and development process for more than two decades, Sanwo-Olu said that Lagos State could not afford to entrust its leadership to someone who is not familiar with the state’s governance structure, especially when several major infrastructure projects were still ongoing.
“This is not the time to experiment with Lagos. This is the time to consolidate. And consolidation is not standing still. Continuity does not mean repeating ourselves. It means finishing what was started, fixing what is not working, and starting what comes next, in that order, with a plan,” he said.
Recalling the 2018 APC governorship primary, Sanwo-Olu said Hamzat had been in the race to succeed former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode but agreed to step down following the party leaders’ decision in his favour.
He said Hamzat subsequently agreed to run alongside him as deputy governor, describing the decision as a demonstration of loyalty and commitment to the party and Lagos State.
“I have thought about what it costs a man to put down the thing he wants most, in public, at the request of people he respects, for the benefit of someone else.
“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,” the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu said that his seven years of working closely with Hamzat had convinced him of the deputy governor’s capacity, loyalty and commitment to governance..
Saying that Hamzat was not merely a ceremonial deputy governor but had played an active role in policy formulation, project implementation and the day-to-day administration of the state, Sanwo-Olu added: “In seven years, there has not been one day, not one, when I had to wonder whose side my deputy was on.
“In Lagos, there has been one government, one direction and one voice. That did not happen by accident. It happened because of who he is,” he said.
The governor also highlighted Hamzat’s previous roles in government, recalling that he served as Commissioner for Science and Technology under former Governor Bola Tinubu and later as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure under former Governor Babatunde Fashola.
He said Hamzat was instrumental in the computerisation of government operations, the removal of ghost workers from the state’s payroll and the development of infrastructure, including the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge.
Sanwo-Olu, who said that Hamzat’s seven years as deputy governor had positioned him to continue the state’s development agenda, added: “Lagos does not hand the baton to a man standing still. Lagosians have never before been offered a man who ran this long, this close, beside the governor he hopes to succeed.”
The governor, who disclosed that he had seven months left in office, said one of his greatest achievements would be handing over power to his successor without a political crisis.
Describing the relationship between him and Hamzat as cordial, and with succession disputes that had generated political divisions and legal battles in other states, Sanwo-Olu noted: “Lagos is going to change governors without a quarrel. There is no greater gift a governor can leave his people than a handover that does not break the house,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu Hamzat him to remain accessible to the people, complete ongoing projects and sustain the governance structure that had prepared him for leadership.
He urged the APC deputy governorship candidate, Princess Damilola Sonayon-James, to build a strong working relationship with Hamzat.
Princess Sarah Sosan,former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess who spoke on behalf of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), noted that successive administrations had laid a solid foundation for the state’s development.
While describing Hamzat as a cerebral and experienced candidate, Sosan expressed optimism that Hamzat has the capacity to sustain the state’s development trajectory.
“We have chosen right. Our candidate is cerebral and very committed to delivering the job. He is the best man for the job, and every member of the GAC attests to this,” she said.
Tracing the development of Lagos State to the successive administrations of President Bola Tinubu, former governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode, and the incumbent governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Sosan said the progress of Lagos was the product of careful planning, hard work and purposeful leadership, adding that Lagos could not afford to experiment with its development model.
“Continuity does not mean that we should refuse to change. It means that we must learn from experience and improve on it. We must plan well and prepare effectively for the future, and that is why Dr Hamzat’s experience fits into this need,” she said.
She urged party members and residents to work together to sustain the state’s development and build on existing achievements.
The Director-General of the PBAT-KOH Campaign Council, Musiliu Obanikoro, while also speaking at the event, noted that there was the need for inclusiveness, adding that no Lagos resident should be excluded from the state’s development agenda on account of ethnic affiliation.
Saying that the campaign was presenting “not just a candidate but a vision anchored on development, integrity, inclusiveness and sustained progress,” Obanikoro said the 2027 election should be about ideas and the capacity to deliver rather than personalities.
The PBAT-KOH Campaign Director added that Lagos residents deserved practical solutions to challenges in infrastructure, healthcare, economic growth and job creation, while acknowledging that challenges remained despite the progress recorded by successive administrations.
Noting the next government must address existing gaps and build a stronger future.
“Lagos cannot afford to stagnate. It cannot afford to move backwards. It must move forward,” he said.
He tasked APC members and leaders to on unity, as well as intensify efforts to mobilise more supporters ahead of the elections.
