Deputy governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat,has promised to serve with integrity, focus and a clear sense of purpose if he is elected as the next governor.

The remark followed the endorsement of his 2027 governorship aspiration by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state governor.

Sanwo-Olu endorsed Hamzat as his successor during a meeting with party leaders at the governor’s office in Alausa on Monday.

The governor, who described Hamzat as the “best man for the job,” also offered prayers for his deputy, wishing him strength, peace and divine support in his future endeavours.

“Peace of mind, peace in your family among your children, wife, spouse and everybody. That which you require, God will provide it for you: renewed strength, God Almighty will make it available for you,” Sanwo-Olu said.

At the end of the meeting, Sanwo-Olu embraced his deputy and raised his hand before party members and leaders in a symbolic gesture that drew applause from those in attendance.

In an appreciation post on his X page, Hamzat said Sanwo-Olu’s endorsement means “a great deal” to him.

“Today, I am honoured by the endorsement of my Governor, my brother and my friend, HE Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu,” he wrote.

“His trust means a great deal to me. We’ve worked side by side in the service of Lagos State, and I don’t take this vote of confidence lightly.”

“I remain committed to building on the progress we’ve made together, and look forward to serving Lagosians with integrity, focus and a clear sense of purpose.”

The development comes amid recent speculation over possible contenders for the 2027 Lagos governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with political discussions suggesting that Hamzat had emerged as a leading contender.

United States-based Nigerian, Opeyemi Olujobi, and his wife, Jennie Davidson, are facing up to 50 years in prison following their arrest over an alleged credit card fraud scheme in New York.

According to a statement by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, that Olujobi and his wife were arrested in Poughkeepsie and are expected to appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in White Plains.

Clayton said that the duo allegedly used stolen identities to fraudulently access hundreds of credit card accounts and carried out unauthorised purchases amounting to over $500,000.

He noted that the defendants were part of a conspiracy that targeted numerous victims through identity theft and account takeovers.

According to the statement, the suspects allegedly used personal details such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, and addresses to impersonate legitimate account holders.

“From at least May 2023 through October 2024, Olujobi, Davidson, and/or their co-conspirators contacted a publicly traded consumer financial services company and used other people’s names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, and addresses to falsely identify themselves as the true accountholders of over 200 store credit card accounts.

“After gaining access to the cardholders’ accounts, the perpetrators changed the address listed on the account to one of four addresses in Hopewell Junction, New York, including their residence, and also altered victims’ phone numbers to those controlled by members of the scheme,” Clayton stated.

The statement said the suspects then reported the cards as lost or stolen and requested replacements, which were delivered to addresses under their control.

The attorney said that once the suspects had the cards, they allegedly used them to purchase gift cards and other items across multiple retail outlets.

“After they obtained their victims’ credit cards, Olujobi, Davidson, and/or their co-conspirators used those cards at various retail locations to make around $575,000 in unauthorised purchases of gift cards and other merchandise.

“Video surveillance associated with many of these transactions shows Olujobi and Davidson using the stolen cards,” the statement added.

It further revealed that the suspects sometimes contacted the bank to request approval for declined transactions or to increase credit limits as needed.

The attorney also alleged that Davidson laundered part of the proceeds through an online betting account before transferring the funds into her personal bank account.

The charge sheet accompanying the statement indicated that the suspects were charged with a four-count indictment bordering on conspiracy and fraud.

“Olujobi, 28, and Davidson, 29, are each charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, among other charges.

“Davidson is also charged with money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.”

The statement, however, concluded that the charges were only allegations and that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

1. The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in the leadership tussles within the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress, heightening uncertainty over the internal stability of both parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, fixed no date for judgment after hearing arguments from parties in separate appeals challenging the decisions of the lower courts on the disputes

2. The Presidency on Wednesday clarified that former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, and former Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, voluntarily resigned from the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and were not sacked. In a statement, President Bola Tinubu’s media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said Edun tendered his resignation on health grounds.

3. Nigeria’s ambassador designate to Algeria, Mohammed Mahmud Lele, has died after a prolonged illness. Aged 50, Lele passed away in Ankara, Turkey, where he was receiving treatment. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that Lele died in the early hours of April 19.

4. President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday met with former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The agenda of the meeting held behind closed doors was gathered to be part of a recurring pattern of consultations between the two leaders on West African political affairs and Nigeria’s continental engagements.

5. The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in the appeals and cross-appeals arising from the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after hearing all parties. The case has already reshaped the party’s leadership, with earlier court decisions nullifying its Ibadan convention and upholding the suspension of key officials.

6. Cross River State government says it has identified and isolated 10 persons who interacted with the Chinese national who reimported COVID-19 into Nigeria. Speaking with Daily Trust, the state epidemiologist, Dr Inyang Ekpenyong, said they were identified during contact tracing carried out by health officials.

7. Six defendants on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to a 13-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism and coup plotting before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The defendants were arraigned in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, with the prosecution led by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

8. The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has formally tendered his resignation in his bid to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo state. The letter put to rest the speculation surrounding his ambition which was after by missing the March 31st initial deadline given by President Bola Tinubu for political appointees seeking elective positions to resign their appointments.

9. The Federal Government has announced plans to waive debts owed by domestic airlines to aviation agencies as part of measures to cushion the impact of the ongoing Jet A1 fuel crisis. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this during a high-level meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, convened to address the astronomical rise in the cost of Jet A1 fuel.

10. A High Court sitting in Calabar has sentenced a 46-year-old man, Imeh Sunday, to life imprisonment for raping his daughter. The prosecution of the case was led by the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, a non-governmental organisation focused on protecting the rights of children and vulnerable persons