The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has endorsed Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for a second term in office.

Tinubu made the endorsement as he raised the hands of Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat at an APC stakeholders’ meeting in Ikeja, Lagos on Friday.

The former Lagos State Governor said Sanwo-Olu and his deputy had built an unbreakable team to raise the bar of excellence in governance and service delivery in the state, with visible achievements and progress to show for their efforts.

According to him, such visible achievements earned the duo the opportunity to return for second term, and not a blank endorsement which many politicians seek.

Tinubu, a presidential hopeful on the platform of the APC, said Lagos under Sanwo-Olu’s leadership had remained a state of pride for residents and other Nigerians who craved responsive governance and progress.

He said: “We have a brilliant governor at the helm of affairs, who is supported by his deputy to build an unbreakable team that has raised the bar of excellence in governance in Lagos. I specially thank Dr. Hamzat, who has been a very good assistant and a pillar of support to the governor.

”Sanwo-Olu with Hamzat has raised an impenetrable team. I commend both of you and all members of the cabinet. You have all done wonderfully well and I must say that I am very proud of you.”

The raising of Sanwo-Olu’s hand by Tinubu was preceded by a motion moved by the Vice Chairman of APC (Lagos East), Mrs. Saidat Oladunjoye, for open endorsement of the governor by the party’s leadership.

The motion was seconded by a member representing Alimosho Constituency in the House of Assembly, Mr. Kehinde Joseph.

Speaking at the meeting, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that Tinubu paid the N50 million fee for APC Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for his second term bid.

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”Asiwaju Tinubu is a generous man and he is doing a lot for people. He paid for my APC nomination and expression of interest forms to run for the second term,” he said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed appreciation to Tinubu for his guidance and thanked the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) leaders for standing by his government, in spite personal attacks they suffered.

The governor said it was time for the party members across levels to foster cohesion and work for the APC’s success in the state and at the federal level.

Sanwo-Olu, who described Tinubu as a ”priceless symbol” of Lagos, said that all hands must be on deck to ensure the state was not robbed of the presidential ticket of APC at the national primaries of the party.

The stakeholders’ meeting, convened at the instance of Tinubu, was attended by Lagos APC chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, party executive members, GAC members, senatorial leaders, and stalwarts across all local councils in the state.

The Star