Ahead of the party primary scheduled to elect the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos on Sunday, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat has stepped down.
Hamzat, one of the two contestants who planned to slug it out with incumbent, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, stepped down for Jide Sanwo-Olu.
Sanwo-Olu is generally believed to be the favourite of the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and some key party chieftains.
Owing to a disagreement with Tinubu, Ambode is facing pressure to be ousted.
With the battle becoming a straight one between Ambode and Sanwo-Olu, the contest promises to be fierce.
Hamzat who was in the company of Sanwo-Olu declared that he stepped down for the good of Lagos and its people.
His words: “After due consultation with my numerous supporters and in deference to the wise counsel of those I consider my political mentors, I resolved to step down from the governorship race.
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“Apart from the fact that I can vouch for his personal integrity, great humility and extraordinary intelligence, Sanwo-Olu is someone I have had close interaction with in the past.
“We have worked closely with Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was them the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of Lagos State.
“Haven been part and parcel of the formulation and execution of various policies and programmes that transformed Lagos right from former governors Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola’s administrations, I strongly believe that Sanwo-Olu is equally rooted to fly our party’s flag in the 2019 elections.
“I have no doubt that he is well placed and equipped to take Lagos to greater height, hence my stepping down for him.”
Hamzat called on his supporters to vote for Sanwo-Olu in the contest for the party’s ticket.
