Lagos State Deputy Governor, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has emerged as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2027 general election after winning the party’s primary election in Lagos State.
Announcing the result at the APC Secretariat in Ikeja on Thursday, the Returning Officer, retired General Jonathan Temlong, said Hamzat secured 657,917 votes to defeat his only challenger, Olanrewaju Jim-Kamal, who polled one vote.
Temlong disclosed that 657,974 party members were accredited to participate in the exercise.
He described the primary election, which was conducted across the 245 wards in Lagos State’s 20 local government areas, as peaceful, transparent, and in line with APC guidelines.
According to him, the exercise reflected the unity within the party and was conducted as “a family affair.”
The returning officer also commended officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for monitoring the process.
Providing a breakdown of the results, Temlong said Hamzat polled 16,257 votes in Agege; 31,079 in Ajeromi-Ifelodun; 74,501 in Alimosho; 20,818 in Amuwo-Odofin; and 5,430 in Apapa.
He added that the deputy governor secured 24,631 votes in Badagry; 37,680 in Epe; 28,754 in Eti-Osa; 33,861 in Ibeju-Lekki; 38,627 in Ifako-Ijaiye; 21,588 in Ikeja; 55,148 in Ikorodu; 51,600 in Kosofe; 27,348 in Lagos Island; 49,079 in Lagos Mainland; and 38,971 in Mushin.
Hamzat also recorded 36,372 votes in Ojo; 31,972 in Oshodi-Isolo; 16,706 in Somolu; and 17,495 in Surulere.
Declaring the final result, Temlong announced Hamzat as the winner of the governorship primary and the APC’s flagbearer for the 2027 Lagos governorship election.
Earlier, Lagos APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, praised members of both the national electoral committee and the local organising committee for conducting what he described as a credible and orderly exercise.
He also commended party members for their discipline and commitment to democratic principles throughout the process, saying the successful conduct of the primary demonstrated the unity and strength of the APC in Lagos State ahead of the 2027 elections.
Ojelabi further disclosed that the party’s presidential primary election scheduled for Saturday would also be conducted through direct primaries across the state’s 245 wards.
In his acceptance speech, Hamzat expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, APC leaders, and party members for the confidence reposed in him to represent the party in the governorship election.
He pledged to sustain the developmental agenda of the APC administration in Lagos State and promised inclusive governance if elected governor in 2027.
At least four aspirants had initially indicated interest in the governorship race and purchased APC nomination forms before the party leadership eventually endorsed Hamzat.
Two of the aspirants — Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, and Samuel Ajose — later withdrew from the contest.
Adediran stepped down following the endorsement of Hamzat by President Bola Tinubu and the Governance Advisory Council, while Ajose withdrew from the race days before the primary election.
