The Obafemi Hamzat I know —Sanwo-Olu

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

It was an emotional moment early evening of Friday October 30, at the official launch of the campaign theme: ‘Lagos, Forward Together’ and the manifesto titled: ‘The Lagos Promise’ (ILERI EKO) of Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos State Deputy Governor and the All Progressives Congress, APC Lagos Governorship Candidate for the 2027 elections, inside the 5000-capacity main DOME of the newly-rehabilitated monument, Wole Soyinka Center for Culture and Creative Arts (National Theatre), Iganmu, Lagos.

With the hall packed of thousands of party chieftains, members, supporters and other stakeholders (plus millions watching via live broadcast on several traditional and digital media platforms across the globe), Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu mounted the podium to deliver an heartwarming message on the man KADRI OBAFEMI HAMZAT —a friend and colleague who has been his deputy in the last seven years, five months and a day as at Friday October 30.

A highly appreciative Sanwo-Olu betrayed no emotions as he spoke of Hamzat who he described as a dependable partner who had remained loyal and committed throughout their seven years in office.

He recalled Hamzat’s sacrifice to abandon his ambition to become governor in 2018 after party leaders asked him to step aside in his favour.

Sanwo-Olu said Hamzat demonstrated uncommon political maturity by subsequently agreeing to run alongside him, the decision, he said, had remained a defining moment in their relationship.

An excerpts of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s message at the launch:

“…Most of you know this story, but none of you have heard it from me. Back in September 2018, Femi Hamzat wanted to be Governor of Lagos State. He had 13 years of public service under Asiwaju (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) and BRF (Babatunde Raji Fashola), with the record and backing to win. Then party leaders asked him to step aside for me.

It takes a rare man to put down what he wants without nursing a grudge. Femi shook my hand and five weeks later, agreed to run beside me. I have never forgotten that.

Anyone can read a CV but only the person in the room with a man when the cameras leave can tell you who he really is. For 2,711 days, I have been in that room with him.

When COVID-19 hit, when we faced our hardest weeks, when the Blue and Red Lines ran and when the Lekki Deep Sea Port opened, Femi was there.

Long before any ribbon was cut, he was asking the tough questions an engineer asks.

In many states, deputies are kept in reserve. On day one, Femi promised to be the best deputy governor in Lagos history. He kept his word. In seven years, there has not been a single day I wondered whose side he was on. We have had one government, one direction, and one voice.

Lagos runs on a relay system. The baton is never passed to a runner standing still. You run at full speed inside the exchange zone, together, before the pass. That is how Lagos has been governed for 27 years, from Asiwaju to BRF, to Ambode, to me.

Femi is a deputy governor like no other. He built the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge under Fashola, digitized the government under Asiwaju and holds a doctorate in engineering. His father served Lateef Jakande. This is in his blood.

Critics say Lagos keeps choosing from the same pool. I say Lagos trains its people. With major projects underway and a master plan stretching to 2052, this is not the time to experiment.

What Femi presents today is not a campaign promise cooked up on a bus, it is the next leg of a race we have been running since 1999.

Lagos does not hand the baton to a man standing still. Today, you have seen the man who is already running. Let us move forward together with The Lagos PROMISE.”

Sanwo-Olu’s praise of his deputy came in the wake of the unveiling of Hamzat’s manifesto titled “The Lagos Promise”.

The manifesto focuses on healthcare, education, job creation, infrastructure, youth empowerment, security and inclusive governance.

Sanwo-Olu had charged Hamzat to introduce policies and programmes that will further change the fortune of the state and improve on the achievements of previous administrations in the state.

He listed some of the ongoing projects requiring continuity, including the second phases of the Blue and Red rail lines, the Fourth Mainland Bridge, the proposed Lekki International Airport, the Omu Creek project, food hubs and logistics parks.

He said those projects were part of a long-term development plan extending to 2052.