Lagos 2027: Hamzat Appoints Musiliu Obanikoro as Campaign DG for Governorship Bid

In a major move ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial election, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has appointed veteran politician Senator Musiliu Obanikoro as the Director-General of his campaign organization.

The race to succeed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has gained significant momentum following the strategic appointment of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro to lead the campaign team of the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat.

The appointment, announced on Friday, June 5, 2026, signals Hamzat’s formal entry into the high-stakes battle for the Alausa Government House under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Senator Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence and a seasoned political strategist, is expected to bring his wealth of experience and extensive grassroots network to the Hamzat campaign. Obanikoro’s political journey—spanning his time as a Senator and a former governorship candidate—makes him one of the most influential figures in Lagos politics.

Political analysts view this partnership as a powerhouse move. By picking Obanikoro, Hamzat is seen as building a broad-based coalition that bridges various political blocs within the Lagos APC and across the state’s three senatorial districts.

Dr. Hamzat, who has served as the deputy to Governor Sanwo-Olu since 2019, is widely regarded as a technocrat with deep roots in the state’s governance and infrastructure development. His bid for the top seat is expected to focus on continuity and the consolidation of the "THEMES" agenda of the current administration.

While several other aspirants within the APC are rumored to be nursing gubernatorial ambitions, Hamzat’s early appointment of a Campaign Director-General of Obanikoro’s caliber indicates a high level of preparedness and a desire to hit the ground running.

The 2027 Lagos governorship race is expected to be one of the most closely watched in Nigeria, as the APC seeks to maintain its decades-long dominance in the nation's commercial capital amid an evolving political landscape.