Nigerian journalist, Rufai Oseni, has cautioned Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, not to sleep over his 2027 governorship ambition, despite the endorsement from his principal, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that Oseni, during an interview on ARISE Television’s Morning programme, reacted to Sanwo-Olu’s recent endorsement of Hamzat as his preferred successor.
Sanwo-Olu endorsed Hamzat following a closed-door meeting at Lagos House, Marina, where the deputy governor formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election before members of the State Executive Council and key party leaders.
Despite the endorsement, Oseni said political history in Lagos suggests that no aspirant can be certain of victory without the backing of President Bola Tinubu, popularly referred to as “Baba” or “Jagaban.”
According to Oseni, the ultimate political backing in Lagos rests with Tinubu, notwithstanding endorsements by the Governor or the Governance Advisory Council (GAC).
Oseni also claimed that some people have told him that Tinubu has endorsed them, stressing that Hamzat should remain cautious until Tinubu publicly declares support for him.
The ARISE Television host further pointed to past political developments in the state, including the fallout involving former Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and the leadership controversy surrounding the Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa.
He said, “I know a lot of people have been expecting me to say something. Babajide Sanwolu can endorse his deputy. People in the Governorship Advisory Council, GAC, can endorse his deputy. But the historical antecedents I have of Lagos politics, if ‘Baba’ has not said, Hazmat, it’s you, Hamzat should not sleep with his two eyes. That’s just it.
‘See, on this journey, I’ve had many people that told me that Baba has endorsed them. And there are many people…,people like ‘Jandor’ is there.
“There’s somebody too that he, I think, has contacted me that probably we should even give a chance to speak, that’s from Badagry that said the Badagry angle too should be there. So I’m also very skeptical.
“And you see, I always remember the case of Ambode. I also remember the case of Obasa, when everybody thought, oh, ‘Baba’ had a hand in Obasa’s removal. It turns out Obasa is back there today.
“So when it comes to Lagos politics, it has always been about ‘Jagaban’.”