The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has accused successive administrations in the state of pursuing policies that favour wealthy residents at the expense of the poor.
Rhodes-Vivour made the allegation during the Lagos governorship debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium on Sunday.
The former Labour Party governorship candidate said the development approach adopted by successive governments had failed to improve the living conditions of many residents despite the state’s high internally generated revenue.
He argued that government policies had concentrated more on affluent neighbourhoods and housing projects for wealthy individuals, leaving low-income earners struggling with accommodation and other basic needs.
“Lagos government, in the last 20 years, has its focus on elite policies, eyebrow areas for housing. That’s why on paper, Lagos celebrates a high IGR, but on ground, people are not feeling it,” he said.
Rhodes-Vivour questioned the impact of the state’s revenue on ordinary residents, insisting that economic growth should translate into better living conditions for the majority of Lagosians.
He also cited the situation in communities such as Makoko, accusing successive administrations of pursuing development projects without adequately considering the welfare of residents.
The ADC candidate said his proposed policies would focus on addressing challenges in waste management, traffic congestion, healthcare and affordable housing.
“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 further reiterated his commitment to providing 100,000 housing units if elected governor, saying his administration would prioritise affordable accommodation for residents.
Rhodes-Vivour was among the governorship candidates who participated in the debate ahead of the 2027 Lagos State governorship election.
Other participants included the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and Lagos Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat; Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Funso Doherty; and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Deji Doherty.
