Four candidates contesting the 2027 Lagos State governorship election have outlined competing approaches to tackling the state’s challenges of flooding, traffic congestion, housing, and education, with proposals ranging from technology-driven environmental management and expanded public transportation to affordable housing and free education.

The candidates — Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Obafemi Hamzat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Funso Doherty of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and Deji Doherty of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) — presented their positions on Sunday at a governorship debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium in Lagos.

The debate featured differing assessments of the state’s development priorities, with opposition candidates criticising aspects of the APC administration’s record, while Hamzat defended its policies and outlined plans to expand infrastructure and social services.

Flooding: Technology, Drainage and Environmental Management

On flooding, Rhodes-Vivour attributed some of the challenges confronting Lagos residents to what he described as decades of poor governance, promising a technology-driven approach to environmental management if elected.

The ADC candidate said his administration would prioritise residents’ safety and create a cleaner environment through policies designed to address flooding and improve living conditions.

“All of us are experiencing the damage that has come from bad governance that has been endemic in this state for the last 20 years,” he said.

“We want a cleaner Lagos. We want a safer Lagos. We want a safer Lagos. We want a more affordable Lagos, and we want a Lagos that works for everybody, not just the privileged few.”

Hamzat, however, defended the state’s existing drainage infrastructure, describing its network as “fantastic”.

The APC candidate said the priority should be to keep drainage channels free of blockages to ensure that water flows unimpeded into the creeks.

Traffic: APC Unveils Multi-Modal Transportation Plan

On traffic and transportation, Hamzat outlined plans by the APC administration to improve mobility through an integrated system involving rail, road, and water transportation.

He said the state was targeting the daily movement of one million passengers using 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses.

The deputy governor also disclosed plans to expand water transportation through the deployment of 77 electric ferries, arguing that greater use of the state’s waterways would help move more commuters.

Defending the government’s investment in rail transportation, Hamzat argued that private-sector funding of rail systems was uncommon in Africa.

Rhodes-Vivour, however, maintained that traffic congestion should not become an accepted part of everyday life.

He called for improvements to water transportation and the expansion of infrastructure to become standard priorities in addressing the state’s mobility challenges.

Housing: 100,000 Units, Mortgages and Rent Regulation

Housing was another area of competing priorities, with Rhodes-Vivour promising to deliver more than 100,000 housing units if elected.

The ADC candidate said the proposed homes would be made accessible to residents, accusing successive APC administrations of prioritising the interests of the elite over the needs of people in rural communities.

He also criticised the state’s emphasis on internally generated revenue (IGR), arguing that residents were not experiencing the benefits of the revenue generated.

“Lagos celebrates high IGR, yet people are not experiencing it,” he said, adding that his administration would direct policies towards residents struggling with the rising cost of living.

Hamzat, on his part, said the state had established 24 housing estates in the last eight years but acknowledged the need to expand access to quality accommodation.

He promised to make more mortgage facilities available to residents and complete ongoing housing projects across different parts of Lagos.

The APC candidate also pledged to enforce the Lagos State Real Estate Registration Agency Law, which requires landlords to collect no more than one year’s rent in advance.

He said the government would ensure compliance with the law to curb arbitrary rent demands and make accommodation more accessible.

Education: NDC’s Doherty Promises ‘Truly Free’ Schooling

On education, Doherty made one of the debate’s most far-reaching social policy promises, pledging to make education completely free in Lagos if elected in 2027.

The NDC candidate said his administration would prioritise equipping residents with education and relevant skills to improve their living conditions.

He argued that no child should be denied an education because their parents could not afford the associated costs, stressing that free education must go beyond the removal of tuition fees.

“So, our policies are aimed at capacitating the people, giving them skills, ensuring that there is no child born in Lagos who does not get an education because their parents cannot afford it.

“We have said we will make education truly free, not nominally free. Truly free, so people will not pay exam fees; they will not be asked to come and pay taxes at a point when they have to write their exams,” Doherty said.