Dr. Obafemi Hamzat’s endorsement of “consensus” in APC primaries, while seemingly pragmatic now, could pose a future challenge, particularly in the lead-up to the 2027 elections
Let’s do it the way we have been doing. It is going to be a consensus. We will apportion things to one another.
– Dr. Obafemi Kadri Hamzat, Deputy Governor, Lagos State
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]bove is a statement credited to the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.
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He said this while addressing APC members at the party secretariat in Lagos on Wednesday, ahead of the primaries for local government elections this weekend.
The event was widely reported by major national dailies. So, he was not quoted out of context.
Dr. Hamzat was basking in the euphoria of the moment because the current situation, which ceded many positions to him and his group, paid off, hence the statement, claiming it was the party’s tradition.
Unfortunately, those words are significant “notes for file” that will ring true in a couple of years from now when another election cycle is due and his loyalty to the party leadership will be brought to a huge test.
If in the lead-up to the 2027 elections, the party decides “to do it the way it’s been dong it” and settles for a consensus, other than himself in the choice of its next governorship candidates, there would not be room for anyone or group to blackmail the leadership.
He would be reminded of those words above in BOLD immutable PRINTS! This is not to dispute his claims, but to properly put him on the record for espousing such a laudable party tradition.
What we would not do is accept those words just because they are convenient and suit his current craving as a political leader in the state. We will make sure they apply truly as the timeless tradition of the party that has functioned and yielded results over the years.
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Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
