2027: Hamzat Names Ex-minister Obanikoro Lagos Gov Campaign DG

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 Lagos State election, Obafemi Hamzat, has appointed a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, as the Director-General (DG) of his campaign organisation.

Hamzat reportedly announced the appointment during an expanded meeting of the campaign council held in Lagos.

Reports have it that President Bola Tinubu endorsed Obanikoro’s appointment during a recent meeting with APC stakeholders and officials in Lagos State.

The President was said to have expressed confidence in Obanikoro’s ability to coordinate the campaign, citing his long years in politics, public service experience and record in both elective and appointive positions.

Obanikoro’s emergence is also seen as a strategic move by the APC to bring in an experienced political figure with deep knowledge of Lagos politics and grassroots mobilisation.

Naija News understands that Obanikoro is a seasoned politician whose career spans several decades across state and federal politics.

He previously contested the Lagos State governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party before later returning to the APC.

His public service career includes serving as Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture in 1999 during Tinubu’s tenure as governor of the state.

He later contested and won election to represent Lagos Central Senatorial District in the Senate in 2003.

After serving one term in the National Assembly, Obanikoro was appointed Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana in May 2008.

Obanikoro later joined the federal cabinet in 2013 as Minister of State for Defence.

He was subsequently reassigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he also served as Minister of State.