The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has drawn attention to the professional background and public-service record of Deputy Governor Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat as discussions continue about the state’s future leadership.
The party’s spokesman, Seye Oladejo, said Hamzat’s technical training, administrative experience and political background were relevant to ongoing discussions about Lagos’s development.
In a statement dated Thursday, 22 October, 2026, Oladejo recalled the reported encounter between Hamzat and the late nationalist leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, when Hamzat was 14. He described the meeting as a potentially formative experience that may have influenced the deputy governor’s aspirations.
Oladejo, however, said Hamzat’s record should ultimately be assessed on the basis of his own achievements rather than his association with the historical figure whose name he bears.
“History is not inherited by association. It is earned through individual effort, conviction, achievement and service,” Oladejo said.
The APC spokesman referred to Hamzat’s training as an engineer and his previous roles as Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, and Deputy Governor.
He said those positions had given Hamzat experience in public administration and exposure to the state’s development priorities.
According to Oladejo, Lagos’s infrastructure needs, population growth and economic activities require leaders with knowledge of public policy, institutional processes and programme implementation.
He said government experience should be considered when evaluating potential leaders, adding that public visibility and political criticism were not substitutes for administrative experience.
Oladejo also referred to the Lagos PROMISE Agenda, identifying infrastructure, transportation, technological innovation, enterprise development, youth opportunities and public services among the areas it addresses.
He said the effectiveness of any development agenda would depend on the substance of its proposals and the quality of implementation.
The party, he added, supported an approach that would retain existing programmes, address identified shortcomings and introduce new measures where necessary.
On the reported encounter with Awolowo, Oladejo said influential figures could serve as sources of inspiration for young people. He nevertheless said Hamzat would need to establish his own record through his decisions, leadership and impact on residents.
He added that governing Lagos required strategic planning, judgment and an understanding of the institutions and administrative relationships involved in the state’s development.
“The choice before Lagos is ultimately about the kind of leadership required to sustain progress, strengthen economic opportunity and respond to the legitimate expectations of its residents,” he said.
Oladejo said competence, experience and the ability to implement policies should be considered in discussions about the state’s future leadership.
The statement comes amid political discussions about the next governorship contest in Lagos, although it did not announce a formal candidacy by Hamzat
