CITIZENS COMPASS— As the official campaigns for 2027 elections approaches in Lagos, observers are beginning to observe that the Ikeja Federal Constituency lawmaker, James Faleke, has inadvertently named the successor to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
This followed Faleke’s recent open endorsement of Lagos State Deputy Governor, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat.
The endorsement is being widely interpreted as an indication that the lawmaker has spoken the mind of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu being the determinant factor in Lagos.
Faleke’s call on party faithful to rally behind Hamzat ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries is not being seen as a mere personal opinion, but rather as a strategic message from the inner caucus that shapes power succession in the state.
Observers note that Faleke, a long-standing ally within Tinubu’s political structure, rarely makes such definitive pronouncements without alignment from the core leadership bloc. His statement is therefore being read as a pointer that the Tinubu camp has effectively settled for Hamzat as the preferred successor to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“Good evening all. As we prepare for Party primaries next month, I urge all our supporters in Ikeja Federal Constituency and Lagos State to support Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat as the next Governor of Lagos State from 2027–2035 IJN,” Faleke wrote on his X handle.
Beyond the public endorsement, there are also strong indications that the influential Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the apex political decision-making organ in Lagos APC, has tilted in the same direction. Historically, the GAC’s position has reflected the thinking of Tinubu’s inner circle, further reinforcing the narrative that Hamzat’s emergence is being carefully orchestrated.
If the alignment holds, Hamzat’s candidacy would likely enjoy the backing of key establishment figures, including former governor Babatunde Fashola and incumbent Sanwo-Olu, both seen as loyalists within the broader Tinubu political family. Hamzat worked as Fashola’s aide when he was minister between 2015 and 2019 before his emergence as deputy governor.
However, the unfolding consensus may not be without resistance. Former governor Akinwunmi Ambode is widely believed to still harbour ambitions of a political return, positioning him as a potential outlier in what appears to be a tightening circle around Hamzat.
Hamzat, whose father was a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and a political kingmaker in the Oshodi/Mushin axis of Lagos, is the only deputy governor to have served two terms since the advent of the Fourth Republic.
With the APC primaries approaching, Faleke’s intervention has effectively shifted the conversation from speculation to direction, projecting Hamzat not just as a contender, but as the anointed choice of the Tinubu camp in the unfolding succession battle for Lagos State.
—GWG
