APC gov’ship primaries: Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat hail voters’ turnout, describe exercise free, fair

.As Hamzat wins ward with 2,210 votes
.Calls for issue-based campaign, non-violent polls

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, who is the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship aspirant ahead of the 2027 poll, have commended voters for turning out en masse peacefully to participate in the primary polls in Lagos.

The primary exercise took place across the 377 wards in Lagos State, where party faithful gathered peacefully and enthusiastically to affirm Hamzat as the consensus candidate of the APC ahead of the 2027 poll.

Sanwo-Olu particularly commended voters for their support to Hamzat, who is the consensus candidate of APC in the state governorship election.

Sanwo-Olu, who arrived at the Ward E3, St Stephens (WAEC) School, Lagos Island polling with his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, at 11.44 am, on Thursday, participated in the primary election and described the exercise as peaceful, orderly and reflective of internal party democracy.

He noted that the direct primary process allowed party members at the ward level to freely participate in the emergence of the party’s governorship candidate.

Speaking after casting his vote, Sanwo-Olu noted that electoral officials and party representatives were on the ground to ensure a credible exercise, noting the impressive turnout of APC faithful at the ward level.

The governor commended the conducive atmosphere at the venue, where about 1,810 people participated, describing it as “calm and family-like”, despite the large crowd that gathered before noon to participate in the exercise.

Sanwo-Olu, who openly declared support for the Deputy Governor, expressed confidence that Hamzat would emerge as the party’s flag-bearer and eventually win the governorship election.

He commended party officials from Abuja and the APC leadership for conducting the exercise peacefully and transparently.

Hamzat, at about 1 07 pm, arrived at his Ward A4, Oke Balogun, Alawaye, Ansar-Udeen Primary School, Epe premises, where he cast his vote amid wild jubilation by supporters and party faithful.

Hamzat, along with his wife, Oluremi, was also accompanied by the APC Governorship Electoral Committee, Gen.Jon Telling,
former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforuji, APC state Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, member House of Representatives, Ikeja Constituency, James Faleke, Mutiu Are, Secretary Governance Advisory Council, GAC, Olayinka Adekunle, Special Adviser on Works and Secretary Local Organising Committee of the primary, Dr. Akeem Shittu, Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, LASUBEB, among other prominent personalities.

The electoral officer, Kayode Kazeem Eleshin, popularly called KK, at the end of the exercise announced that the three aspirants as; Hamzat, polling a total of 2,210 votes out of 2,430 accredited voters, and Samuel Ajose, fondly called SMA, who had earlier withdrawn from the race and Lanrean Jim-kamal, scoring 1 vote.

Addressing the media, Hamzat thanked voters for coming out in large numbers to vote massively for him, and promised not to disappoint them if voted as governor in the 2027 Governorship poll.

According to him, “Thank you very much, first of all, we must thank members of our party and the accreditation team that came from Abuja to witness the whole process.

“So, as you can see, it was transparent, people queued up, so it was option A4. So, we must thank everybody, as odd as it is, people stood up right here waiting to be counted, and at the end of the day, we saw the numbers.

“I must thank all party members for coming out to do the voting, for believing in our party and the democratic credentials that we are trying to build, that Mr President is trying to build for this country.

“So it’s a process, it’s happening across all the two 45 high-neck wards in Lagos State, so this is just one of them and the report we are getting is peaceful across the state, so we are thankful that the whole process is going on well.”

On advice for the electorate in the coming polls, Hamzat stated, “A democratic competition is not a war, it’s a competition of ideas.

“How do we move our people forward? So if your intention is to move people forward to develop the state, why do you need to fight?

“So our party will never be involved in that, we do things peacefully, as you can see here, we are peaceful people, we are in a joyous mood, so that’s the momentum that we are taking to the election.

“We will come out with our manifesto, we will come out with our programmes, we will come out with what we want to do to elevate our state. We are the best party to deliver on the progress for it to build a state that can last, a state that our children, our grandchildren can be proud of.”

Earlier, Chairman of the Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area, Alade Folawiyo, described the turnout as massive and impressive.

Folawiyo expressed optimism that Hamzat would consolidate on the achievements of the Sanwo-Olu administration if elected governor of the state.

He passed a vote of confidence in the deputy governor, saying that he possessed adequate experience and understanding of governance of the state at all levels.

The Lagos Island boss affirmed that continuity in leadership would sustain ongoing infrastructural development and security improvements across the state.

While commending the people for turning out en masse, Folawiyo said, “I am so happy that people can see it in the people’s mouths. I see the kind of enthusiasm and happiness on the faces of everybody in this ward.”

The Executive Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Comrade Akeem Olalekan Dauda, popularly called AKOD, also successfully coordinated the governorship primary election of Hamzat in his Anifowoshe ward.

Dauda commended the leadership of the party for ensuring a transparent, peaceful, and well-organised process throughout the state.

He described the emergence of Hamzat as a reflection of the confidence and trust the party stakeholders and members have in his capacity, experience, competence, and commitment to sustaining the progressive developmental agenda in Lagos State.

AKOD further praised party members in Ikeja for their discipline, unity, loyalty, and massive participation during the exercise, noting that the successful conduct of the primary election once again demonstrated the strength and cohesion of the APC in Lagos State.

He reiterated his unwavering commitment to the ideals and vision of the progressive family and assured that the APC in Ikeja remains fully mobilised and united towards ensuring greater victories for the party in the forthcoming general elections.