Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo- Olu has stated that the state is poised for a seamless political handover devoid of rancor or acrimony as his tenure draws to a close. Speaking with seven months remaining in his administration, the governor emphasized that peaceful succession remains one of his proudest achievements.
Addressing supporters during the official unveiling of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship manifesto and campaign launch in the state, Sanwo-Olu reflected on his time in office and the upcoming transition of power.
What did Governor Sanwo-Olu say about the transition?
"I stand here with only seven months left in my office, a governor learns in his last months what he actually built and I have learnt that the rails and bridges that we built, the hospitals that we commissioned, the rice mills are all proud to have," Sanwo-Olu stated.
He further noted that tangible infrastructure, while important, paled in comparison to political stability and harmony.
"But I will tell you one thing that I'm the proudest is not what is made of concrete, it is that Lagos is going to change governors without a quarrel," he added.
Highlighting the uniqueness of the political arrangement in Lagos State, the governor drew comparisons with other regions where political handovers frequently trigger legal battles or intense friction between principal officeholders and their deputies.
"Think about how rare that is, across this country we have seen successions that have ended in courtrooms, we have seen deputies at war, in Lagos, the governor and his deputy walked into this hall together, will walk out together and in May with your support, one of them will handover the stage to the next one," he remarked.
Directing his remarks toward the APC governorship candidate, Femi Hamzat, whom he described as a long-time friend and brother, Sanwo-Olu charged him with specific responsibilities for the future.
"A governor can leave and handover to someone that will not break the house. My brother and friend for many decades, Lagosians will hand you the heaviest baton in this country," he said.
Sanwo-Olu outlined three key expectations for his successor: maintaining open communication with the electorate, completing ongoing infrastructural projects without abandonment, and eventually ensuring a smooth transition to another leader when the time comes.