Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has challenged opposition political parties to present clear and credible policy alternatives ahead of the 2027 elections, rather than seeking a change in government simply for the sake of change.
Sanwo-Olu made the remarks on Tuesday while delivering the centenary anniversary lecture of the Yoruba Tennis Club in Onikan, Lagos. The lecture was titled “Democracy, Governance, and the Lagos Spirit: A Century of Excellence.”
The governor, who also serves as the South-West Zonal Coordinator of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, said Lagos had benefited from continuity in governance and that any proposed alternative should be backed by concrete ideas and programmes.
He argued that political competition should focus on what different parties intend to offer residents, rather than being centred solely on replacing an incumbent administration.
“Our challenge to the opposition remains the same — to put forward credible ideas that are able to compete with ours, instead of seeking change for the sake of change,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Sanwo-Olu highlights continuity
The governor linked Lagos’ development since the return of democratic rule in 1999 to what he described as continuity among successive administrations.
He said the development blueprint initiated under former Governor Bola Tinubu had been maintained and expanded by subsequent governments, citing projects such as the Blue and Red Line rail systems as examples of long-term planning.
Sanwo-Olu identified four principles he described as the “Lagos Playbook”: vision, self-reliance, partnership and measuring governance by its impact on ordinary residents.
He said the state’s approach to internally generated revenue and its investment in infrastructure demonstrated the importance of developing systems that could support long-term growth.
The governor also recalled Lagos’ role in Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle and its history of civic and political activism.
Governor lists projects
Reviewing his administration’s seven years in office, Sanwo-Olu said the THEMES+ development agenda had produced interventions across transportation, healthcare, education, technology, the economy, tourism, security and governance.
Among the projects he mentioned were the establishment of two public universities, the Imota Rice Mill, investments in submarine cable infrastructure and data centres, as well as the construction of a major children’s hospital.
He also highlighted the Lagos Central Food Security System and Logistics Hub being developed at Ketu-Ereyun, which he said was intended to improve food aggregation, storage, processing and distribution across the state.
Opposition urged to focus on policies
Sanwo-Olu said the forthcoming political contest should give Lagos residents an opportunity to compare the programmes and proposed solutions of different political parties.
He maintained that changes in leadership should be accompanied by ideas capable of producing improved outcomes for citizens.
The governor also connected his argument for continuity in Lagos to the 2027 national election, where President Bola Tinubu is the APC’s presidential candidate.
He said the party would campaign on what it described as the record of its administrations at both the state and federal levels.
The remarks come as political parties and candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, with governance records, policy proposals and development plans expected to remain central issues in the campaign.
