Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has said one of his first assignments if elected in 2027 will be to promote legislation compelling fathers and men to take full responsibility for the upbringing and welfare of their children.
Speaking on Monday during a courtesy visit by the Muslim Community of Lagos State at the headquarters of the Anwar Ul Islam Movement in Iponrin, Surulere, Hamzat lamented the high rate of home abandonment by men, noting that research showed many women who described themselves as widows were actually abandoned by their husbands and left to raise children alone.
He linked the breakdown of the family, described as the basic unit of society, to many of Nigeria’s current problems, including the large number of Almajiris roaming the streets, which he attributed largely to the absence of proper parental care.
Hamzat stressed that Nigerians must return to the culture of responsible parenting and proper child upbringing that characterised the past, while also calling for greater emphasis on skills acquisition for young people.
He said parents had neglected vocational and technical skills in exchange for formal education, and that both must go hand in hand to prepare youths for opportunities in the labour market. “We are complaining of a lack of jobs while some companies are saying people lack the required skills for available jobs. We should look into this,” he said.
He urged government to place youths at the centre of development and to create an environment where they can acquire relevant skills and become productive, adding that the Muslim Community’s plan to establish a skills centre in Lagos aligned with that vision.
On the economy, the APC candidate promised to create an enabling environment for enterprise by removing unnecessary barriers, levies and taxes that frustrate business growth. He disclosed plans to increase the number of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Lagos from the current 122,000 to 500,000.
Hamzat also spoke on inclusion, saying women and young people must be given greater opportunities to participate in governance and decision-making, and that religion and ethnicity should not be used to divide Nigerians.
He called on people of proven integrity to join politics and urged youths to devote more time to productive ventures instead of using social media for attacks.
Addressing broader national concerns, Hamzat expressed worry over the declining standard of education and the migration of professionals in medicine, engineering and other critical sectors to countries like the United Kingdom, United States and Canada.
He said building the Nigeria of their dreams was a collective responsibility and urged citizens to demonstrate genuine love for the country.
He cited Lagos’ population, now close to 30 million, and noted that registered voters in Alimosho alone were comparable to total votes in the last Osun governorship election, underscoring the scale of governance required in the state. “We’ll do everything to govern well but need your support,” he told the gathering.
Leaders of the Muslim Community of Lagos welcomed Hamzat and pledged support beyond the 2027 elections.
The President, Alhaji Mohammed Oyinlomo Danmole, said the community was pleased that the demand for a credible and result-oriented Muslim to lead the state had been answered, and reiterated the mission to establish a centre where youths can acquire skills and shun social vices.
Representatives of NACOMYO, The Criterion and the Anwar Ul Islam Movement prayed for his success, called for peaceful elections, and urged government to empower youths as major stakeholders in development.
Sheikh Abdulfatah Abdulmojeed also called for the establishment of a Sharia Court in Lagos, to which Hamzat responded that it would require appropriate input from the judicial system and relevant authorities.
