By Peter Dansu Chairman of the Governance Advisory Council, Tajudeen Olusi, has dismissed claims that he endorsed Lagos State Deputy Govern...
By Peter Dansu
Chairman of the Governance Advisory Council, Tajudeen Olusi, has dismissed claims that he endorsed Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, as the state’s next governor, insisting that the now-controversial “incoming governor” remark did not originate from him.
Olusi made the clarification following widespread reactions that trailed comments made during the General Assembly of Indigenous Associations in Lagos, an event organised by the IBILE Eko Summit Foundation at the MUSON Centre.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Independent on Friday, the GAC chairman explained that the phrase “incoming governor” was first used by a traditional ruler from Badagry who addressed the gathering in both Egun and English. According to him, the monarch’s comment was later echoed, leading to widespread misinterpretation.
He expressed concern over what he described as a tendency by sections of the media and social commentators to take statements out of context, stressing that a proper review of the event would reveal the true origin of the remark.
“People should go back and watch the recording of that programme,” Olusi said, noting that he merely followed the tone already set at the event.
Clarifying further, Olusi explained that the word “incoming” should not be misconstrued as a formal endorsement or political declaration. Rather, he described it as a loose expression of aspiration.
“To me, incoming simply means someone who is on the way, someone striving to achieve a goal. It does not amount to a final decision or endorsement,” he stated.
The comment had stirred political conversations across Lagos, with some observers interpreting it as a signal that Hamzat had secured elite backing to succeed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu ahead of the 2027 governorship race.
However, Olusi firmly rejected such interpretations, insisting that the narrative being pushed in some quarters does not reflect the reality of what transpired at the event.
He urged the public to rely on full context rather than isolated clips or second-hand reports, warning that premature conclusions could inflame unnecessary political tension in the state.
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