The Lagos State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections, Dr Kadir Obafemi Hamzat on Friday, 30 October, 2026 promised to continue with the progressive vision to make the state more prosperous, just as he also assured residents of the state of their safety and protection, declaring that everyone born in Lagos is entitled to the state’s protection, reports thegazellenews.com.
Hamzat made the promise when he officially unveiled his manifesto at the Wole Soyinka Centre in Iganmu, Lagos, on Friday.
The current Lagos State Deputy Governor disclosed that his manifesto, the Lagos Promise, contains 100 Pledges out of which 87 are firm commitments, which he said would be delivered as he promised.
According to him, promise is a debt which must be paid back.
Hamzat said ‘The Promise’ will provide him with an appreciation of what works, what requires reform, and, perhaps more importantly, what is realistically achievable within the constitutional and operational confines of state governance.
He said he has been privileged to serve alongside Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as Deputy Governor for seven years and is now seeking the mandate of the residents to lead Lagos as Governor under his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Hamzat said, “I am here not to just to ask for your vote but to earn your trust and share a vision for better Lagos. I grew up in a family shaped by public service. My Father, Alhaji Mufutau Hamzat, served in the Lagos State House of Assembly and Commissioner for Transportation during the Lateef Jakande regime”.
This the manifesto is anchored on 100 Pledges outlining 100 total pledges, including 87 firm commitments supported by a public scorecard and evaluation within his first 100 days in office.
His Seven Governance Pillars is anchored on the acronym, PROMISE:
P – People First: Focuses on accessible healthcare (including a commitment to add 580 new hospital beds, 15 maternal centres, and 100 upgraded Primary Health Centres), quality education, and vulnerable protection.
R – Renewal: Targets urban infrastructure, road and transport network expansion (such as activating the Fourth Mainland Bridge project and fixing key routes like Mowo-Ikoga in Badagry), power, water, and drainage.
O – Opportunity: Aims to lower farm-to-table food costs, expand jobs, support local businesses, and boost youth vocational and digital skills.
M – Machinery of Government: Focuses on public service efficiency, transparent local councils, and data-driven governance.
I – Inclusion: Emphasizes equitable access across all five administrative divisions of Lagos, with a focus on women and young people.
S – Security and Resilience: Pledges a responsive, humane security architecture and environmental protection.
E – Everyday Dignity: Aims to improve the overall quality of life, worker compensation reviews, and affordable housing.
According to him, his years in government have taught him that a society is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable. He recalled that he remember a ten-year-old boy rescued under the Oshodi bridge after he ran away from an unsafe home.
According to him, this experience has strengthened his resolve to build Lagos where every child is protected, regardless of background.
“Today, I present the Lagos Promise, Ileri Eko. Promise is a debt. As we say, Gbese ni ileri guided by Iteriba, (Respect), Ise (Work) and Otito (Truth).
“My vision rests on seven pillars. First, Renewal, Opportunity, Machinery of Government, Inclusion, Security and Resilience, and Everyday Dignity.
“Building on the legacies of our past leaders and the Themes Plus agenda, my plan focuses on accessible healthcare, quality education, jobs, affordable transport, security and accountable governance.
“We will strengthen hospitals, schools and healthcare services, support businesses, equip young people with relevant skills, expand road, rail and water transportation, improve housing and protect our environment. But promises must be measurable. The Lagos Promise contains 100 pledges, including 87 firm Commitments, each backed by a public scorecard.
“Accountability begins within my first 100 days. I ask you to read the promise, question it and hold me accountable, Lagos has given me a lifetime of work. Today, I give Lagos my Promise.”
Hamzat highlighted the plan for 580 new hospital beds for Lagos, committing to expand access to quality health care, just as he also noted that the government would improve roads and transportation in the state, promising to activate the Fourth Mainland Bridge project.
Hamzat said that the state is pursuing a university of medicine to create an opportunity for young Nigerians to build a career in the health sector.
The former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, who said that his government would bring down the cost of food from the farm to the table, also pledged to empower the youth with the skills of today and the future.
Hamzat also promised that his administration would deliver on cheaper broadband, better security, and room to build.
For his first 100 days in office, Dr Hamzat said he would send a bill to the Lagos State House of Assembly to establish a Child Protection and Nutrition Agency. The proposed agency, he said, would ensure that every child below 18 is either in school or learning a trade and has adequate food.
He also promised to establish a Lagos State Service Delivery Office through an executive order. The office, to be chaired by the Governor, would publish baseline figures for assessing the administration’s commitments.
The third proposal is a state wealth fund, which, he said, would have an independent board and publish its accounts to preserve resources for future generations.
He said his administration would introduce service charters in government offices, setting out the services residents should expect and the standards to be met. He promised that complaints would be acknowledged within 48 hours, answered within seven days and resolved within 30 days.
On healthcare, the APC governorship candidate promised to increase the number of maternal and child centres from six to 15, complete ongoing hospital projects and build two new general hospitals in Ogombo and Ibeju-Lekki.
He also pledged to upgrade 100 primary healthcare centres to flagship status and recruit more doctors, nurses and midwives.
Among the projects he cited were the new Massey Children’s Hospital, which he said would have 150 beds, and another general hospital project with 280 beds. He also mentioned the Shomolu General Hospital project, expected to provide 150 beds.
In education, Hamzat promised to strengthen the EkoEXCEL programme in public primary schools, improve teaching and learning outcomes and expand opportunities for technical and vocational training.
On employment, Hamzat said that businesses would create most of the jobs needed in Lagos and that government will focus on removing obstacles to their growth.
While proposing a single schedule of local government charges, easier business permits, improved access to credit and a defined share of state procurement for qualifying small businesses, Hamzat also promised to introduce a vocational placement scheme under which students in technical schools would spend between six and 12 months with employers, with the state paying 40 per cent of their stipends.
For artisans, the APC candidate proposed free skills certification at their workplaces and in languages they understan.
He also promised to connect the Blue and Red rail lines at the National Theatre station, expand ferry services and introduce integrated ticketing across road, rail and water transport.
“Lagos, we must know, is a water state. The lagoon must therefore be our third highway,” he said, just as he also pledged to dredge an additional 140-kilometre water corridor, optimise ferry routes and procure 75 riverine vessels.
On roads, the candidate promised to prioritise inner roads in collaboration with local governments and local council development areas, while accelerating work on major road projects, including the coastal road along the Lekki-Epe axis.
Hamzat also promised to complete ongoing housing projects and develop additional homes through partnerships with the private sector. He proposed mortgages requiring a 10 per cent deposit, single-digit interest rates and longer repayment periods.
On security, the APC candidate said he would strengthen the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency and extend its presence to wards across the state’s 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas. He also promised to expand street lighting and CCTV coverage.
For the environment, he set a target of 95 per cent waste collection coverage through improved operations by private sector participants. He promised to complete waste transfer facilities, develop a waste recovery facility and complete a waste-to-energy project at Agbowa.
“On waste, we will strengthen community collections, reach 95% coverage by optimizing the PSP, that is the private sector participant deliveries, and make Lagos cleaner. We will complete the transfer loading stations at Olusosun and Solous III in Alimosho.
“We will deliver a recovery facility and complete the waste-to-energy facility at Agbowa. 30,000 Lagosians already collect and sort this state’s waste, and we will bring them into the system, and we train them, equip them, and pay them properly. Essential work deserves recognition,” Hamzat said.
Earlier, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu urged Lagos residents to support Mr Hamzat, describing him as an experienced public servant who had been involved in major decisions and projects during their seven years working together.
The Governor, who recalled that Hamzat had sought the governorship in 2018 but stepped aside after party leaders asked him to allow Governor Sanwo-Olu to emerge as the candidate, added that Hamzat accepted to serve as his running mate and had remained loyal throughout their time in office.
“In seven years, there has not been one day, not one, when I had to wonder whose side my deputy was on,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said, just as he also cited the COVID-19 response, the development of the Blue and Red rail lines and the arrival of the first ship at the Lekki Deep Sea Port among the major events in which Hamzat had been involved.
While describing the candidate as a key participant in the administration’s planning and project implementation, particularly in technical matters, Sanwo-Olu framed Hamzat’s candidacy as a continuation of the APC’s successive administrations in Lagos, from Bola Tinubu to Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode and himself.
“There has been one government. There has been one direction. There has been one voice. This is not the time to experiment with Lagos. This is the time to consolidate,” he said.
The Lagos APC chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, in his address described the manifesto as a covenant between the party, its candidate and the electorate, just as he also added that the APC administrations in Lagos had recorded achievements in infrastructure, transportation, education, healthcare, housing and economic development.
Ojelabi called for continuity but said it should not prevent the government from addressing shortcomings.
“Continuity must not mean complacency. It must mean building on proven achievements, correcting identified shortcomings, and pursuing greater progress with renewed determination,” he said, just as he also described Mr Hamzat as a candidate with experience in public service and the private sector, adding that his time as deputy governor had prepared him for the state’s top office.
Former Lagos Deputy Governor Sarah Sosan, speaking on behalf of the state’s Governors’ Advisory Council, also endorsed the APC governorship candidate, describing him as a committed public servant with experience as a Commissioner and Deputy Governor.
According to Sosan, Lagos should build on its existing development record rather than abandon policies and projects that had worked.
“Lagos is not for experiment,” she said, just as he also added that the manifesto should address the needs of residents in areas including roads, transportation, education, healthcare, security, housing and the environment.
In his own address, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, said the APC governorship candidate has built a vast experience by serving seven administrations.
Obanikoro, a former council boss and minister, said “we are not just presenting a candidate but experience and continuity.”
The Senator express his sincere appreciation to Lagosians for supporting Hamzat’s candidature, saying his capacity to lead Lagos to the next level of accelerated developments has been tested and trusted.
In summary, APC leaders called on party members to mobilise support for Dr.Hamzat ahead of the governorship election.
