Lagos is Not A Place To Experiment Governance – Dr Hamzat Kadiri …promised to sign death warrants of convicted kidnappers
The current Deputy Governor of Lagos State and APC candidate for the 2027 governorship election, Dr. Hamzat Obafemi Kadiri, has declared that Lagos State requires experienced leadership, emphasizing that governance in Lagos cannot be approached as an experimental endeavour.
He made this statement during a town hall meeting with the leadership and members of the Lagos State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at their Senator Oluremi Tinubu Lagos CAN Secretariat in Ikeja on Friday, July 24, 2027.
Dr. Hamzat stressed that effective governance in Lagos demands a deep understanding of the state’s intricacies, likening it to cooking, where one needs to be familiar with the kitchen to navigate it successfully.
He pledged to allocate more resources to state security, underscoring its paramount importance, and vowed to combat criminality and deal decisively with kidnappers.
Dr. Hamzat declared, “If anyone is a kidnapper and is caught, the law is now clear on this; it is going to be a death penalty, and by your votes, with God’s grace, when I become the governor, if any kidnapper is convicted to death by the law court, I will sign the death warrant because it must be clear that no human being has the right to kidnap under the law.”
He further emphasized the need to support the President in maintaining order and expressed appreciation for his efforts.
Highlighting development and economic growth, Dr. Hamzat noted that over $35 million worth of world-class production infrastructure and economic development facilities are currently underway in various parts of Lagos, contributing to the state’s economic expansion. While others are expanding, and competing with one another because they are growing.
He stated, “With the present state of our country’s economy development, our economy is growing, and the state is now to support the President to ensure that results get to the grassroots, and that is what Lagos is also doing, building infrastructures to make sure people can move from one place to another, doing their businesses with ease.”
The purpose of the meeting, according to Dr. Hamzat, was to share plans and seek support, emphasizing the importance of understanding Lagos’ history and geography for effective governance. “We must have people who understand Lagos history and geography for development to reach every part of the state.”
He expressed concern over the erosion of cultural values, lamenting that “we are becoming more European in Lagos, and it cannot work,” and promised to collaborate with the Christian community to restore these values.
Recounting his personal experience, Dr. Hamzat reflected on a time when integrity and trust were visibly evident, contrasting it with the current situation, and queried, “What has happened to us as a people?”
Dr. Hamzat emphasized the need for collective effort to restore societal values, stating, ‘We will work together to rediscover our values so that we don’t lose our children and unborn generations to a corrupt society.
This is more than government; it will be a joint effort between the body of Christ, government, and citizens.’
He urged the church to utilize its pulpits to guide citizens towards the truth and the right path, emphasizing the importance of taking those directives seriously.
Earlier, Bishop Prof. Stephen Adegbite, Chairman of the Lagos State CAN, welcomed attendees and highlighted the meeting’s purpose, noting that the trajectory for governance suggests an incoming administration led by a Muslim.
He commended the present state deputy governor for demonstrating hard work, perseverance, tenacity, and resilience with unflinching loyalty, qualities that would make him a suitable governorship candidate for Lagos State in the next general election.
Adegbite assured the deputy governorship candidate of the church’s support and prayers, stating, ‘As a Church, we will continue to pray for you and your principal for a successful campaign and success at the polls.’
He also advised her to leverage the governorship candidate’s experience.
The CAN Chairman requested that the governorship candidate follow the example set by past Muslim governors in the state, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who consistently attended the one-day IDDS programme. He added that due to next year’s election, the IDDS might not hold in February, until the election is finally resolved.
Mrs. Sarah Sosan, erstwhile Deputy Governor of Lagos State, commended the Church for her commitment to good governance and kingdom service. She attributed Lagos’ peace to the Church’s fervent prayers, and described Dr. Hamzat was the ideal governorship candidate, praising his integrity and reliability.
Mrs. Sosan appealed to the Church to continue upholding him and his deputy governorship candidate in prayers.
The well attended meeting concluded with special prayers offered by Bishop Steven Ogedengbe and Pastor Sam Adeosun, respectively for Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lagos State, the State Governor, and the governorship candidate and his deputy.
