Lagos State Deputy Governor and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2027 election, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, says President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing re-election are “far, far better” than in 2023.
Dr Hamzat made the remarks during on a television interview programme, while assessing the president’s prospects ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The deputy governor said the political dynamics that shaped the 2023 presidential election had changed, arguing that Nigerians now had the opportunity to assess Tinubu based on his record in office.
According to him, religious considerations that affected the president’s electoral prospects in 2023 had reduced, with Nigerians now seeing that Tinubu’s appointments and policies were not driven by religious or ethnic considerations.
He explained that Tinubu faced concerns over his religion and regional identity, particularly because he was a Muslim candidate from the South in a country where the South-South and South-East have predominantly Christian populations.
Hamzat, however, argued that Tinubu’s actions in office had demonstrated that his religious identity had not determined government policies or appointments.
He cited the president’s appointments as evidence, noting that criticisms had previously focused on the religious identities of some key officials, including the Minister of Finance and the Central Bank governor.
According to Hamzat, the political situation is now different because Tinubu is seeking another term with a record in government that he can defend.
The APC governorship candidate also used Lagos as an example of how religious cooperation could work, noting that he is a Muslim but regularly attends Christian gatherings.
He referred to the Lagos State chapter of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), where Christian and Muslim leaders meet to deliberate on issues affecting the state.
Hamzat recalled the controversy surrounding an autopsy-related rule, saying the Muslim community initially opposed it because of the need to bury the dead promptly.
He said the issue was eventually resolved through discussions between Christian and Muslim representatives at NIREC.
Hamzat maintained that the same principle of religious and ethnic inclusion was being demonstrated by the Tinubu administration, insisting that more Nigerians were beginning to recognise this.
He consequently expressed confidence that Tinubu would perform better electorally in 2027 than he did in 2023, particularly in Lagos State.
