Former Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat has been announced as the running mate to Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress.
The state party leaders made the official presentation of Hamzat as Sanwo-Olu’s running mate on Sunday at the party secretariat, Acme Road, Ogba area of Lagos.
Sanwoolu also tweeted the choice and presentation: After consulting widely with stakeholders and our political party, I am delighted to announce Dr. @FemiHamzat as my Deputy Governorship candidate. With this decision, Lagosians should be rest assured of the best as we will work assiduously to transform every aspect of our lives.
The presentation only formalised an open secret in the state. Hamzat had been the preferred choice of the leaders, after he stepped down in the governorship race for Sanwoolu late September.
Hamzat, son of a political juggernaut in the state, was born September 19, 1964.
He graduated from the University of Ibadan in 1986 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering and subsequently furthered his studies at home and abroad, resulting in both an MSc. in Crop Processing Engineering (1988) and a Ph.D. in System Process Engineering (1992).
Sequel to this, he garnered about two decades of work experience in several organisations, including the City of New York, RTP Consulting Services, Columbia University, Merrill Lynch Inc, Morgan Stanley and Oando Plc.
In August 2005, Hamzat was appointed Commissioner for Science and Technology during the tenure of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He retained his position when Governor Babatunde Fashola assumed office in 2007. It was during his tenure as Commissioner for Science and Technology that Hamzat enforced the application of modern technology in the state’s ministries, thus changing the face of data and record keeping in Lagos and at the same time eliminating the trend of state ghost workers.
It is reported in some quarters that this single act was largely responsible for his elevation as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure at the commencement of the second term in office of Fashola’s administration. The office had gone on without a commissioner during Fashola’s first four years, with only a Special Adviser reporting directly to the governor.
