Governorship candidates of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; African Democratic Congress, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour; Nigeria Democratic Congress, Funso Doherty; and Peoples Democratic Party, Adedeji Doherty, have unveiled their development plans for Lagos State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The candidates presented their credentials, policy proposals and visions for addressing housing shortages, traffic congestion, transportation, security and infrastructure during a debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium.

The consortium comprises Vanguard, Channels Television, TVC News, Punch and TheCable.

During the debate, Hamzat emphasised continuity and expansion of existing infrastructure, while Rhodes-Vivour called for what he described as an end to two decades of bad governance.

The NDC candidate, Funso Doherty, questioned the political interests surrounding Lagos’ public transportation system, alleging that vested interests had deliberately frustrated efforts to modernise the sector.

He argued that the state’s persistent traffic congestion was not simply caused by inadequate infrastructure but also by poor management of existing roads and the failure to reform public transportation.

Doherty specifically criticised the informal transport network associated with agberos, alleging that the interests surrounding the system had made modernisation politically difficult.

He said, “Lagos continues to rely on dilapidated commercial buses operating chaotically, contributing to gridlock and making commuting difficult for residents.

“Our public transportation system is not modernised. Thousands of rickety buses are moving around. We must ask ourselves: are these what our people deserve? Why has it taken so long to modernise public transportation?

“In my opinion, the lack of modern transportation is not by accident. There are vested interests in operating the bus system the way it is. Many of us understand the agbero system; there is an ecosystem around it, and there is no political will to deal with that problem.”

He added that his administration would modernise public transportation without being influenced by the interests operating the existing system.

“We would modernise public transportation because we would be elected by the people and not by the agbero network,” he said.

Hamzat, however, proposed expanding the state’s Bus Rapid Transit system from about 1,000 buses to 4,000, with a target of transporting one million passengers daily.

He said the plan would involve deploying Compressed Natural Gas buses and establishing dedicated BRT corridors across major routes.

The APC candidate also advocated an integrated transportation network linking road, rail and water transport to provide commuters with alternatives and reduce pressure on major roads.

On housing, Rhodes-Vivour proposed delivering 100,000 housing units within his first four years in office.

He said the plan would be funded through measures including luxury taxation, while identifying the development of the eastern foreshore and intergenerational areas, as well as decentralisation of development across the state, as part of his strategy.

The ADC candidate argued that Lagos needed an integrated approach to urban development, noting that housing, waste management, transportation, healthcare, education and urban planning were interconnected.

Hamzat, in response, said the Lagos State Government had delivered 18,000 housing units in the last eight years and was planning to expand access to affordable homes through mortgage financing.

He explained that the proposed arrangement would allow prospective homeowners to make an initial payment of between 10 and 25 per cent, with the balance spread over an extended period.

The PDP candidate, Adedeji Doherty, proposed that the state government become a major property developer and build houses that residents could rent directly from the government.

“There is no landlord, and there is no government that can control a landlord. What we are going to do is very simple. We are going to rent those houses ourselves, and then you can come and rent from us if you want to. If they cannot compete with the landlords, then let us forget it,” he said.

Presenting his credentials, Hamzat described the debate as a job interview, arguing that his professional background and experience in public service had prepared him for the responsibility of governing Lagos.

“I take tonight (yesterday night) as a job interview. The first question you ask anybody who wants this type of responsibility is, what have you done to prepare for this job?” he said.

He identified respect for citizens, hard work and truthfulness as the principles that would guide his administration.

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 their track records rather than political announcements.

Rhodes-Vivour, meanwhile, called for a departure from what he described as “two decades of bad governance”, insisting that Lagos should work for all residents rather than a privileged few.

He said his political activism and manifesto had consistently prioritised the interests of ordinary people.

Addressing the economic situation, Hamzat said Nigeria was undergoing a financial corrective phase, which had made transportation, housing and food affordability major concerns for residents.

He acknowledged that the state government had limited control over some economic factors but maintained that it could intervene in critical areas such as housing, agriculture and transportation to reduce the burden on residents.

He also cited the completion and expansion of the Blue and Red rail lines, alongside investments in water transportation, as measures expected to move more commuters and ease pressure on roads.

Hamzat added that the state planned to procure between 3,000 and 4,000 CNG buses to improve public transportation.

The PDP candidate, Adedeji Doherty, also promised to abolish taxes imposed on teachers and doctors if elected governor in 2027.

Unveiling his campaign agenda, tagged Awaken Lagos, he said his administration would prioritise the welfare of professionals in the education and health sectors through tax relief.

“I am cancelling teachers’ tax. Doctors, I am cancelling their tax. My campaign is Awaken Lagos,” he said.