By Steve Omolale
In Nigeria’s political ecosystem, Lagos State stands out. Its uniqueness and political sophistication since 1999, which no any other state has been able to replicate, is the reason its economy and other sectors have been growing in leaps and bounds. The smooth political succession and the massive successes of Lagos in all spheres are intertwined; they are products of strategic and deep thinking.
From President Bola Tinubu as the governor in 1999-2007, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) in 2007-2015, Akinwunmi Ambode between 2015 and 2019, to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, 2019 to date, the succession and success story have been palatable to Lagosians in particular. Stability has been the hallmark. And that is the story behind the general success of the Centre of Excellence.
A renowned Bahamian evangelical minister, best-selling author, and leadership consultant, Dr. Myles Munroe, once said,
“True leaders don’t invest in buildings…They invest in people. Why? Because success without a successor is failure. So, your legacy should not be in buildings, programmes, or projects; your legacy must be in people.”
So, when a leader invests in people, as Tinubu has done in Lagos since 1999, the people will surely invest in good programmes and projects, as all his successors have been doing. None of them has disappointed Lagosians. They have no reason to. They can not afford to.
This is in tandem with the submission of American lawyer and political activist, Ralp Nader, who said, “I stand with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.”
In the last few weeks, the political leadership in Lagos has purposefully made a choice of a successor to Sanwo-Olu, to continue and sustain the momentum of his administration from May 27, next year. The choice of the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, to succeed his boss is borne out of the need for continuity. The wise choice is like putting a round peg in a round hole. Hamzat is able and ready for the higher role.
Having been in government for many years, the challenges of leadership in a complex state like Lagos are not new to him.
Today, every Tom, Dick and Harry in Lagos know that Hamzat is the concensus candidate of the rulling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
But, the tortuous journey that culminated into this was strewn with thorns. Many qualified Lagosians showed interest in the seat. However, the governorship position in a state like Lagos is not for the faint-hearted. The political leadership in the state knows and fully understands this. Hence, they, in their wisdom, settled for a lion-hearted man like Hamzat.
The wide consultations of critical stakeholders he embarked on to solidify the decision of his party on consensus were worth the pains. The acceptance and endorsements were huge. The gains were enormous.
One of the gains of the consultations was the grand endorsement of Hamzat by President Tinubu in Abuja. Another is the endorsement by Governor Sanwo-Olu and the all-powerful Governance Adiversory Council (GAC).
Led by elder statesman, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, GAC did not only endorse Hamzat as its consensus candidate, members of the group also bought the N50 million governorship nomination form for the deputy governor as a demonstration of their full support for his bid. The nomination form was signed by 120 APC leaders and members across the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the state.
Another gain is the stepping down of Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, for Hamzat.
But, before this stage, the deputy governor had visited many party stalwarts and indigenes of Lagos individually for consultations.
The next stage now is for the many “generals” in Lagos politics to start mobilising their foot soldiers to ensure that millions of residents of the state vote for Hamzat come January 2027. All machinery and structures must be set in motion to ensure victory.
The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Mudashiru Obasa, said this much when Hamzat visited him at his Ikeja GRA residence.
In his words, “Our discussions were frank, strategic and centered on the future of Lagos. I can confidently say that the momentum is clear and the message is consistent — Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat is well-positioned to lead Lagos to greater heights. As Speaker, I will continue to galvanise my political structure and work with like-minded leaders to ensure victory at the polls. “Lagos deserves continuity, stability and progress, and I am ful
ly committed to that course. Together, we will win.”
Like Obasa, other party leaders are duty-bound to start working for the victory of Hamzat in the 2027 election. This will make the victory dance, which is certain, a sweet one.
*Omolale, a seasoned journalist, sent in this piece from Lagos
