The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has accused successive state governments of favouring wealthy residents at the expense of ordinary Lagosians.
He spoke on Sunday at a governorship debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium in Lagos, where he presented his plans for tackling the state’s problems.
Rhodes-Vivour alleged that policies over the past two decades, especially in housing and urban development, have been tilted toward the elite, leaving many low-income residents without adequate infrastructure and decent housing.
He pointed to Makoko, the waterfront community, claiming that urban renewal policies have exposed residents to the risk of losing their homes and means of livelihood.
The ADC candidate also questioned what the state’s rising internally generated revenue (IGR) has meant for the average resident, arguing that higher government earnings have not improved living conditions.
“Lagos government, in the last 20 years, has focused on elite policies, eyebrow areas for housing. That’s why on paper, Lagos celebrates a high IGR, but on the ground, people are not feeling it. We would focus on people, our policies are tailored towards that,” he said.
According to him, his manifesto puts residents’ welfare first, with planned interventions in waste management, traffic congestion, healthcare delivery and the housing deficit.
“My manifesto has always stood with the people, putting the interest of the people first. I have that track record. We’re bringing solution thinking to the problems of Lagos State, waste management, traffic, healthcare, housing,” he said.
He pledged that an ADC administration would roll out policies targeting the everyday challenges facing residents, and repeated his promise to deliver 100,000 housing units to ease the state’s housing shortage.
The debate was organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium, a coalition of The PUNCH, Channels Television, TVC News, TheCable and Vanguard.
Lagos continues to struggle with affordable housing, urban renewal, traffic congestion and access to basic services, driven by population growth and rapid urban expansion. Makoko remains central to debates over urban renewal, demolitions, displacement and the rights of residents affected by development projects.
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