Hamzat, GRV unveil contrasting plans at Lagos governorship debate

By Efe Onodjae Lagos State Deputy Governor and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, and his African Democratic Congress, ADC, counterpart, have outlined contrasting development plans, with emphasis on housing, transportation, security, infrastructure and accountable governance. The candidates spoke at the 2026 Lagos State Governorship Debate, where they presented their credentials, policy proposals and vision for the state ahead of the governorship election.

Hamzat, who described the debate as a job interview, said his experience in public service and previous appointments had prepared him for the responsibility of leading Lagos. He said: “I take tonight as a job interview. The first question you ask anybody that wants this type of responsibility is, what have you done to prepare for this job?” Recounting his professional background, Hamzat said he had worked as a teacher, case manager in New York and systems manager before joining public service.

He said his experience as Commissioner for Science and Technology equipped him to oversee the development of the state’s residents and structural database, while his tenure as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure saw him lead the team that delivered the decade-long bridge project, described as the first cable bridge in West Africa and second in Africa.

According to him, effective governance requires a leader who understands the people, the state and the responsibilities of the office. On his governing philosophy, Hamzat identified respect for citizens, hard work and truthfulness as the principles that would guide his administration. He said government must place work before announcements and ensure transparency by telling citizens the truth about its activities.

Unveiling his development blueprint, tagged Jacob’s Promise, Hamzat said it was built around seven pillars, seven broad areas of action and 100 pledges. He urged voters to assess candidates based on the substance of their plans and the work behind their promises rather than mere political announcements. Meanwhile, the Lagos ADC governorship candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour said Lagos needed a departure from what he described as two decades of bad governance, insisting that the state must work for all residents rather than a privileged few.

He said his political activism and manifesto had consistently prioritised the interests of ordinary people, adding that anyone seeking to govern a state with about 20 million residents must demonstrate a record of putting public interest above personal ambition. The ADC candidate said his administration would adopt an integrated approach to urban development, arguing that waste management, housing, transportation, healthcare, education and urban planning were interconnected.

On housing, he promised to deliver 100,000 housing units within his first four years through a combination of luxury taxation to fund social housing, development of the eastern foreshore and intergenerational areas, and decentralisation of development across the state. He also proposed expanding rail infrastructure, promising to connect the state’s rail lines within two and a half years through a private-sector-driven approach that would be transparent, equitable and cost-effective.