Lagos State is facing a potential leadership shake‑up after sources inside the presidency said Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu has been asked to resign on health grounds to allow his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, to assume office and complete the administration’s term.
The move, according to presidential sources, is the result of growing dissatisfaction in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inner circle with the governor’s leadership. If implemented, the transition would not only see Hamzat finish the current tenure but could position him as a leading candidate for a fresh four‑year mandate in the 2027 elections, SAHARA REPORT.
“The Presidency, President Bola Tinubu and key figures in his inner circle are reportedly dissatisfied with the current leadership in Lagos and have moved to initiate a transition plan,” a top official at the presidency told this newspaper. “The emerging arrangement would see Sanwo‑Olu resign, paving the way for his deputy to assume office and complete the remainder of the tenure.”
No official statement has been issued by the presidency or the Lagos State Government. Requests for comment to Governor Sanwo‑Olu’s office, the Office of the Vice‑President, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were not immediately returned.
Tensions within Lagos politics have reportedly intensified in recent months. Party sources cited by this newspaper say Sanwo‑Olu has been accused of insubordination — including efforts to build independent political structures in Lagos perceived as undermining Tinubu’s influence — and of seeking to influence the leadership of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The dispute over the speakership in 2025 remains a flashpoint. In March 2025, SaharaReporters reported that President Tinubu intervened to facilitate the reinstatement of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker after his impeachment, an intervention sources said reflected presidential concern about the governor’s influence over Assembly affairs. That impeachment, which began on January 13, 2025, plunged Lagos politics into crisis and led to behind‑the‑scenes pressure from APC leaders to restore party unity.
Another source of strain, according to multiple reports, was the declaration by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, an associate of Governor Sanwo‑lu, was wanted on allegations of money laundering and criminal conspiracy. Media reports later suggested intelligence had traced funds linked to Achimugu to opposition figures following the 2023 polls — a claim the implicated opposition leaders have denied. Peoples Gazette reported that the president was “furious and felt betrayed” after receiving such intelligence.
Land allocation controversies have also been cited by sources as aggravating relations. In June 2025 reports alleged that Sanwo‑Olu’s administration illegally allocated 96 hectares on Banana Island to developers, with claims that part of the disputed land was linked to President Tinubu. Federal investigators were reported to be probing multiple high‑value land allocations in Lagos, and an EFCC letter dated May 16, 2025 requested documents relating to questionable permits and title documents for several shorefront allocations.
If the reported transition is carried out, it would be among the most consequential leadership changes in Lagos in recent years, with significant implications for governance continuity, party dynamics within the APC, and the electoral landscape ahead of 2027. Political analysts say a handover that elevates the deputy governor would give Hamzat incumbency advantage going into next year’s contests.
This newspaper will continue to seek comment from Governor Sanwo‑Olu, Deputy Governor Hamzat, the presidency, the EFCC and the APC, and will update this report as more information becomes available.
