With Gbeleyi As Hamzat's Running Mate, APC Is A Goal - AFFLAG

The Allied Forces for Lagos Growth (AFFLAG)  has warmly welcomed the tip by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to present Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi as the running mate to the party's consensus governorship candidate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, ahead of the 2027 general election.


This was contained in a statement signed by Otunba Kayode Adeyinka Esq on behalf of  Allied Forces for Lagos Growth (AFFLAG), made available on Monday.

 


"This decision is a clear signal that the future of Lagos will be anchored on competence, fiscal discipline, and economic vision.


"Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi brings to this ticket a depth of experience that few can match. His career spans finance, housing policy, public sector reform, and private sector engagement — the very fields that must drive Lagos toward its goal of becoming Africa's foremost economic destination.


"As Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Gbeleyi  took charge of one of the most complex fiscal environments on the continent. He managed the State's annual budgets, shaped its revenue strategy, and reinforced the fiscal architecture that continues to underpin Lagos's financial credibility today," the statement  said.


It added that the role was not routine administration, but economic leadership at the highest sub-national level in Nigeria.


"At the federal level, his tenure as Chairman of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria placed him at the centre of affordable housing finance policy. At a time when millions of Nigerians remain shut out of decent housing, Gbeleyi worked to build frameworks that could bring homeownership within reach of working citizens — a task demanding both technical mastery and social responsibility.


"As Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, he currently leads the agency responsible for structuring government assets and driving Nigeria's privatisation agenda. His hands-on engagement with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation has sharpened his grasp of how global capital moves, what serious investors expect, and how a government must position itself to attract transformative investment. He is, by every measure, a technocrat prepared for what lies ahead.


"Dr. Obafemi Hamzat is a tested administrator. As Lagos State Deputy Governor under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, he brought engineering precision and policy discipline to governance. His command of infrastructure development, urban planning, and public administration is well established — he is a man who understands how government works, not in theory, but in practice," it said.


The statement stressed that what Gbeleyi adds to that foundation is financial acumen, private sector credibility, and the institutional reach needed to unlock investment into Lagos at a scale that matches the city's ambition.

"One man brings the structure; the other brings the resources to fill it.


"Together, this ticket offers a powerful fusion of engineering and economics, administration and finance, public service and private sector discipline. Lagos, with a GDP that rivals sovereign nations across Africa, deserves leadership that can govern it as the economic powerhouse it truly is. The Hamzat-Gbeleyi ticket delivers exactly that.


"AFFLAG categorically states that Mr. Gbeleyi is a proud indigene of Oshodi-Isolo — the senatorial district that consistently delivers over 60 per cent of Lagos votes. His place on this ticket is not merely symbolic to the people of Lagos West. It is a direct recognition of their enduring contribution to the political and demographic story of Lagos State. His roots run deep; his credentials reach far.


"Should this administration take office in 2027, Lagosians should expect a government that expands infrastructure with urgency, attracts foreign and domestic investment with confidence, and manages public resources with the discipline of those who fully understand fiscal consequences. The combination of Hamzat's administrative backbone and Gbeleyi's financial and institutional expertise positions Lagos to deepen its standing as a commercial nerve centre — not just for Nigeria, but for the African continent," it said.


While AFFLAG commended the strength of the ticket, it placed on record, a firm expectation: upon assumption of office, the incoming administration must treat gender balance as a governance priority. Lagos is home to some of the most accomplished women in Nigeria — in law, finance, health, education, and public policy. 


"They are not waiting to be found. They are ready to serve.


"We call on the incoming Governor and his deputy to deliberately appoint competent women into strategic positions from the first day of their administration. A government that excludes half its talent pool cannot deliver at full capacity. Inclusion is not sentiment — it is sound governance.


"Allied Forces for Lagos stands firmly behind this ticket. We call on all well-meaning Lagosians to support a movement that places merit, experience, and the collective future of our great State above all else. Lagos deserves the best. This ticket is a decisive step in that direction," it comcluded.



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