Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) Gubernatorial Candidate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has pledged to introduce an “HAMZAT Compact” with 100 specific commitments that will enable Lagos residents to track his administration’s performance and hold him accountable if elected governor.
Hamzat made this disclosure on Thursday, 1 October, 2026, during a Gubernatorial Town Hall Meeting organised by the Platform Nigeria, tagged “Millennium and Gen Z Meet Their Lagos State Gubernatorial Candidates,” explaining that the initiative would clearly state what his administration intends to deliver, where it would be delivered, the cost involved, and the person responsible for each commitment.
According to him, the initiative is designed to institutionalise accountability in governance by giving residents measurable commitments against which the performance of the administration can be assessed, declaring that the compact, which forms part of his manifesto, “The Promise: Building a State That Lasts,” contains specific pledges covering critical areas including child welfare, healthcare and education, among others.
“‘Hamzat Compact’ is actually a statement that allows you to know what will be done, where it will be done, what it will cost, and who is responsible. I put my name there. Nobody asked me to do that, because I know it’s me who will be responsible. These commitments would be open to public scrutiny and tracking of our administration to deliver our promises,” he said.
The APC Governorship Candidate added that one of the major differences between developed societies and developing ones is the ability to institutionalise processes, saying that governance should be structured in a manner that allows citizens to monitor commitments and demand explanations where necessary.
Hamzat, who traced his professional experience across the public and private sectors, said his vision for Lagos is anchored on building systems that could endure beyond individual administrations.
Furthermore, he promised to establish a dedicated Child Welfare Administration Agency within his first 100 days in office, with a mandate to ensure that every child under 18 is either in school or engaged in vocational training.
Identifying child welfare as one of the priorities of his proposed administration, Hamzat stressed the need to ensure that children in Lagos are adequately protected, educated and supported. He added that child welfare required dedicated attention because of its importance to the future of the state.
While raising concerns about childhood malnutrition, particularly among children aged zero to five, the APC Candidate said adequate nutrition during the early years is critical to a child’s development. “In West Africa, zero to five-year-olds, 34 per cent of our children are malnourished. And being malnourished doesn’t mean the children are poor, because it depends on what you eat. This proposed agency would be part of measures to ensure that children receive the necessary care and opportunities to develop because the destiny of our children must be important to us,” said Hamzat.
Beyond child welfare, he also highlighted improved mobility and shorter commuting time as a key part of his vision for Lagos, as he promised to make it easier for residents to travel from their homes to their workplaces and places of business.
Hamzat stated that residents should be able to measure the time it takes to travel from their homes to work or where they ply their trade, adding that his administration would work towards reducing the time spent on such journeys across the state.
He pointed out that his vision is not limited to individual projects, but focuses on creating systems that would improve residents’ quality of life, stressing that the effectiveness of governance should ultimately be reflected in people’s everyday experiences.
On the business environment, Hamzat pledged to establish a State Economic Council to coordinate government charges, reduce the cost of doing business and tackle multiple and unauthorised levies across the state, stating that the role of government should be to create an environment where businesses can start, survive and grow.
He emphasised the need for government agencies and the different levels of government to work together to eliminate unnecessary charges and make the business environment more predictable. According to him, the council would help ensure that businesses know exactly what they are expected to pay, while unauthorised levies and charges would be eliminated.
He added that his administration would focus on strengthening small and medium-sized enterprises by helping business owners develop essential skills, particularly in bookkeeping and staff management, which he identified as some of the challenges affecting the survival of many small businesses.
On inclusion and peaceful coexistence, Hamzat vowed to create a government where residents would not be discriminated against based on where they come from, stressing that anyone who lives peacefully, works lawfully, and does not harm others should be able to enjoy their rights.
He noted that Lagos has historically attracted people from different parts of Nigeria and other countries, including Ghana, India, and Lebanon among others who have settled and contributed to the development of the state. “People come all the way from Lebanon. They are not Nigerians. They come from India and they are doing well here. So the bottom line is we will create a government where you don’t need—nobody should ask you whether you belong or not. As long as you live peacefully, you work peacefully, and you are not here to harm us, you must be able to enjoy the right things,” he concluded.
