Next Year: Lagos Labour Unions Throw Weight Behind Hamzat's Governorship Ambition

Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Obafemi Hamzat's bid for the governorship has received a significant boost, as the State Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have expressed their support for his candidacy in the 2027 poll.

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This development follows earlier endorsements from various stakeholders, including President Bola Tinubu, the Governance Advisory Council of the All Progressives Congress, and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as well as the withdrawal of another APC aspirant, Dr Olajide Adediran, to support the consensus candidate.

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Former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has also congratulated Hamzat on his emergence as the party consensus candidate, while APC state chairman Cornelius Ojelabi, speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Mudasiru Obasa, and other party chieftains have endorsed his bid.

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The Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria has also declared its support for Hamzat, who had earlier picked the nomination form purchased by the leadership of the Governance Advisory Council, the highest decision-making organ of the APC in the state.

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The nomination form was subsequently signed by 120 bona-fide leaders and members of the ruling APC across the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas of the state, in line with guidelines.

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During the 2026 World Labour Day celebration, themed "Insecurity, Poverty: Bane of Decent Work", held at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos Island, the union leaders expressed confidence in Hamzat's candidacy and promised to support his ambition massively.

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NLC Chairperson, Lagos Council, Comrade Funmi Sessi, described Hamzat as "loyal, competent, tested and trusted", and stated that his victory will ensure continued developmental strides are achieved by successive administrations in the state.

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Sessi also called for an upward review of workers' remuneration in view of rising inflation and worsening economic conditions, noting that inflationary pressures have significantly eroded workers' purchasing power.

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She appealed for a review of the minimum wage from ₦85,000 to ₦225,000, stressing that Lagos remains Nigeria's economic nerve centre, where the cost of transportation, housing, and feeding remains exceptionally high.

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Representing the Governor on the occasion, Hamzat acknowledged the confidence reposed in him and expressed appreciation for the support, pledging to continue developing Lagos State with integrity.

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Hamzat stated, "We will not let you down…The developmental trajectory will be improved upon in Lagos", while Sanwo-Olu commended the leadership of the NLC and the TUC for their constructive engagement.

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Speaking after Tinubu's endorsement with the GAC, Hamzat expressed confidence that his experience as deputy governor has prepared him for the task ahead, describing his governorship ambition as "audacious" and stating that he has learned a lot from serving under Governor Sanwo-Olu.

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Hamzat's strategic rise to become Lagos's next governor is no longer a speculation, following a defining endorsement by stakeholders, including the powerful inner circle of the GAC, which has firmly sealed the consensus decision in his favour.

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At 61, heading to hit 62, Dr Hamzat represents a political technocrat with intellectual weight and administrative precision, a patient strategist in a space where ambition often roars, and his ambition is considered payback time based on the crucial role of his father in the early political trajectory of President Bola Tinubu.

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Hamzat's late father, Oba Mufutau Olatunji Hamzat, was a force in Lagos politics, and his influence cut across governance and tradition, making him a pillar that supported the emergence of Bola Tinubu's senatorial ambition.

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Hamzat has been outstanding on loyalty, experience, and preparedness, which counts very much for the office of the exalted number one seat in the state, and he is not a stranger to governance, having served in various roles, including as commissioner under the Tinubu administration.

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With more than 21 years in governance, across ministries, advisory roles, and executive leadership within Lagos and beyond, few contenders can match Hamzat's depth, and fewer still can rival its continuity, making him the best man for the job.

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As of press time, there has not been any formidable opponent from opposition parties, which seem passive and undecided at the moment on flagbearers, even as windows to present candidates for positions in line with the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission draw near.