Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Kadri Hamzat has described the ongoing governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State as a peaceful contest of ideas focused on development, service delivery, and the future progress of the state rather than political conflict.
Hamzat spoke on Thursday after participating in the APC governorship primaries held at Ward A4, Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, in Epe Local Government Area.
The Deputy Governor said the atmosphere surrounding the exercise reflected the maturity of the party’s internal democratic process and its commitment to sustaining peace ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
“It’s a competition of ideas. How do we move our people forward? So we intend to move people forward, to develop the state; we don’t need to fight. As you can see, we are peaceful. So that’s the momentum that we are taking to the election. We are not concerned about fighting,” Hamzat said.
He commended party members for their orderly conduct during the primaries, noting that reports received from across Lagos indicated that the exercise was largely peaceful.
According to him, the successful conduct of the primaries across the state’s 45 wards demonstrated the strength of democratic participation within the party and reinforced confidence in the APC’s political structure in Lagos.
“We must thank members of our party for believing in our party. I thank all participants for coming out and voting. The reports we are getting are peaceful across the state,” he added.
Hamzat stated that the party remained focused on continuing the development trajectory of Lagos State through policies and programmes aimed at improving infrastructure, economic growth, and social welfare.
He said the APC would unveil its manifesto and developmental agenda ahead of the general election, stressing that the party understood the history, geography, and developmental needs of Lagos State better than any opposition platform.
“We will tell the people that we understand the history, we understand the geography of our state, and that we are the best party to deliver on progress and the mandate to build the state forward — a state that our children and grandchildren can be empowered in,” he stated.
Also speaking, Lagos APC Chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, praised party members for maintaining peace and discipline throughout the primary process.
“I stand before you as the chairman of the party to thank all of you, to appreciate your commitment towards keeping our democracy and making sure that you continue to support our party,” Ojelabi said.
Chairman of the seven-member Governorship Primary Committee, retired General Jon Temlong, also commended the orderly conduct of party members, describing the process as a reflection of democratic growth in Lagos State.
According to him, the exercise complied with the guidelines issued by the national leadership of the APC as well as the provisions of the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“What we are seeing in Lagos speaks a lot about how democracy has actually taken root,” Temlong said, while urging party supporters to remain peaceful and orderly throughout the process.
Returning Officer for the exercise, Kayode Eleshin, announced that Hamzat secured 2,210 votes at the ward primary election.
Eleshin disclosed that 2,720 party members were registered for the exercise, while 2,432 members were accredited to vote. He explained that some accredited voters left the queue after prolonged waiting periods, accounting for the difference in figures recorded during voting.
He thereafter formally declared Hamzat winner of the governorship primaries conducted at the ward.
