By Tunde Alao
Following the Lagos State Governorship Debate organized by the ” Nigeria Debate Consortium put together by the leading media houses in Nigeria, namely The Punch Newspaper, Vanguard Newspaper, TVC and Channels, supporters and political analysts have highlighted several unique qualities that set Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat’s performance apart from other candidates.
With a PhD in Systems Process Engineering from Cranfield University, Hamzat demonstrated an analytical approach to solving complex urban problems like climate change, flooding, and integrated transport networks linking rail, road, and waterways. This systemic approach contrasted with opposition rhetoric, as he focused heavily on process optimization, state economic councils, and expanding the state’s independent power capabilities beyond the national grid.
As the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Hamzat approached the debate with a distinct technocratic and executive posture, framing the event not as a political rally, but as a formal “job interview” for managing Africa’s largest megacity. His performance was characterized by the following key qualities:
First, he spoke with unmatched Institutional Knowledge and Executive Pedigree.
While opposition candidates presented plans from an outsider’s perspective, Hamzat anchored his responses in deep administrative experience. He noted his trajectory from serving as a Special Assistant to serving 12 years as a Commissioner (Science & Technology, then Works & Infrastructure), followed by nearly eight years as Deputy Governor. This allowed him to speak with precision about the mechanics of Lagos governance, land administration, and the state’s massive economic engine rather than relying on abstract theories.
Second, he spoke with a Concrete, Trackable Manifesto: “The Lagos Promise”
Unlike general campaign promises, Hamzat introduced a structured, highly specific framework called The Lagos Promise (Ìlérí Èkó).
He explicitly broke this down into a 7-pillar acronym designed for strict accountability:
P – People First; R – Renewal; O – Opportunity; M – Machinery of Government;I – Inclusion; S – Security and Resilience and E – Editing Integrity.
By backing this framework with 100 specific pledges, he dared voters to “judge his plan” the same way they would hire someone to manage their own family affairs.
Third, Pragmatic, Data-Driven Solutions vs. “Skyscrapers in the Air”
Hamzat continuously emphasized that Lagos cannot be governed by “mere experimentation” or lofty slogans, stating that he refuses to “build skyscrapers in the air”. When discussing major state issues, he defended current policy outcomes with technical depth:
For instance, while discussing the issue of accommodation, especially Real Estate and Rent, he addressed rent inflation by pointing directly to the enforcement of the Lagos State Real Estate Agency law (passed a year prior) and details of its one-year rent cap. Besides, he spoke on Digitization, where he advocated for reducing land regularization costs and speeding up Certificates of Occupancy (CofO), through systematic government digitization—a field he pioneered as Science and Technology Commissioner.
In the area of Infrastructure, the APC Governorship Candidate outlined highly realistic timelines for decentralized service delivery across the IBILE divisions to decongest the central Alausa secretariat. This would mark a clear departure from what is in operation today where every transaction centered in Alausa . Decentralisation of service delivery across the five divisions that made up of Lagos will make things easier for the people and institutions that have one thing or the other to do with the government.
Academic and Technical Flare: By emphasizing measurable metrics, institutional memory, and a “work before announcement” philosophy, Hamzat’s debate presentation aimed to assure voters that his candidacy represents a stable, highly competent progression for Lagos State rather than a political gamble.
Tunde Alao is a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State in the Office of the Deputy Governor
