Moment Bishop Oyedepo Receives APC Governorship Candidate Obafemi Hamzat at Canaanland Trends

A meeting between Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for the 2027 election, Obafemi Hamzat, and Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church Worldwide has generated reactions online after footage of the encounter surfaced on social media.

Hamzat visited Oyedepo at Canaanland in Ota, Ogun State, on Tuesday, September 22, where he was received by the prominent cleric.

Video footage from the visit showed Hamzat in the company of his entourage as he toured parts of the expansive Canaanland complex with Oyedepo.

One of the locations featured in the footage was the Ark auditorium, a major worship centre within the church’s headquarters that has become one of the most recognisable landmarks associated with the church.

The appearance quickly attracted attention online, largely because of Hamzat’s political position and the proximity of the 2027 general election.

Hamzat is the APC’s candidate for the Lagos State governorship election and is currently serving as deputy governor under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The visit therefore came at a time when political parties in Lagos are already stepping up preparations for the 2027 election.

The meeting also generated interest because of Oyedepo’s prominence within Nigeria’s Christian community and the large number of worshippers and visitors who regularly pass through Canaanland.

Images and videos of the two men together were widely circulated, prompting social media users to interpret the encounter in different ways.

Some viewed the meeting as a routine visit involving two prominent Nigerians, while others connected it to the political activities surrounding the 2027 election.

Comments online ranged from expressions of support for Hamzat to questions about the purpose and timing of his visit to the church headquarters.

The reactions reflected the heightened public attention that often surrounds meetings between politicians and influential religious figures during election periods.

Hamzat has not publicly indicated that the visit represented a political endorsement by Oyedepo, and the meeting itself does not establish that the cleric has taken a position on the 2027 Lagos governorship election.

Religious leaders in Nigeria frequently receive politicians, government officials, business leaders and other public figures, making such meetings open to different interpretations depending on the circumstances.

For Hamzat, the visit comes as the APC continues to organise its political structure ahead of the next election.

The Lagos chapter of the party recently inaugurated its campaign council, with party leaders calling for unity and a coordinated campaign ahead of the 2027 polls.

Hamzat has urged party members to promote the APC’s record in government and campaign on the basis of what the party describes as its achievements rather than relying solely on political emotions.

His emergence as the APC’s governorship candidate followed the party’s internal selection process, with the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council adopting him as its consensus candidate earlier in 2026.

The decision placed Hamzat at the centre of the party’s preparations for the succession race ahead of the end of the current administration.

As deputy governor, Hamzat has already spent several years at the highest level of Lagos State government.

His supporters have pointed to his experience in public administration and his previous service as a commissioner as part of the argument for his candidacy.

His campaign platform is expected to focus heavily on continuity, infrastructure, technology, transportation, healthcare, education, security and economic development.

The visit to Canaanland has consequently become part of the growing public conversation surrounding his campaign, even though there is no confirmed indication from the meeting itself that Oyedepo has endorsed his candidacy.

Political meetings with religious leaders often attract attention in Nigeria because religious institutions command large communities and maintain extensive networks across different parts of the country.

However, the influence of religious figures does not automatically translate into votes, and individual worshippers ultimately retain their own political choices.

The online reaction to Hamzat’s visit also demonstrates how quickly images involving prominent political figures can become subjects of public discussion.

A short video showing a politician meeting a well-known cleric can generate thousands of comments, with users assigning different meanings to the encounter based on their own political perspectives.

Some commenters welcomed the interaction and described it as a positive meeting between public figures.

Others questioned why a politician preparing for an election would be visiting a prominent religious leader several months before voters head to the polls.

There were also comments focusing less on politics and more on the religious significance of Canaanland, with some users expressing admiration for the facility and Oyedepo’s ministry.

The variety of reactions underscores the difficulty of determining the precise meaning of a public meeting solely from images or video footage.

A visit can have religious, social, personal or political dimensions, and the presence of a political candidate at a religious institution does not by itself establish an electoral agreement.

For Hamzat, the immediate focus remains the 2027 Lagos governorship contest and the task of building support for his candidacy across the state’s diverse population.

The APC will face competition from other political parties and candidates as the election approaches, meaning the campaign period is expected to feature increased public engagements and meetings with community, religious, professional and political groups.

The encounter with Oyedepo is therefore likely to remain part of the wider political conversation surrounding Hamzat’s campaign, particularly because of the prominence of both individuals.

Canaanland itself has long been a destination for prominent personalities, church members and visitors from Nigeria and other countries.

The facility houses the headquarters of Living Faith Church Worldwide and includes major worship and educational facilities.

The video of Hamzat’s visit offered social media users a glimpse of his tour of the complex while also placing the politician and the cleric in the same public frame.

The timing has naturally attracted additional attention because Nigeria’s political parties are already preparing for the 2027 elections.

In Lagos, the APC has begun organising its campaign machinery, while opposition parties are also expected to intensify their activities as the election draws closer.

Hamzat’s political profile has also grown considerably through his years in Lagos government.

Before becoming deputy governor, he served as Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology and was involved in government initiatives relating to technology and administrative systems.

The APC campaign has highlighted his experience in government and his familiarity with the state’s administrative structure as part of its case for his candidacy.

His official campaign platform also outlines proposed policies involving digital transformation, infrastructure, education, healthcare, job creation and security.

Whether those proposals will become major issues in the 2027 campaign will depend on the broader political debate and the priorities presented by competing candidates.

Meanwhile, the viral footage from Canaanland has continued to generate discussion, illustrating the level of attention political figures receive whenever they appear alongside influential religious personalities.

For now, what is publicly established is that Hamzat visited Oyedepo at Canaanland and toured the church’s facilities with the cleric.

The political meaning being attached to the encounter remains open to interpretation, while any claim of endorsement would require a clear statement from the parties involved.

As preparations for the 2027 Lagos governorship election continue, similar meetings involving candidates and prominent Nigerians are likely to attract public attention.

The Canaanland encounter has therefore become another talking point in the emerging political season, with supporters and observers offering different interpretations of the moment while the campaign for Lagos State gradually gathers momentum.