The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate for the 2027 Lagos election, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has said the state’s impressive internally generated revenue (IGR) has not translated into tangible benefits for ordinary residents.
He made the remarks on Sunday during a governorship debate in Lagos, organised by a consortium of media organisations, including TheCable.
Rhodes-Vivour accused successive administrations of implementing policies that favour wealthy residents while neglecting vulnerable groups, particularly in the housing sector.
“Government in the last 20 years has been focused on elite policies that only favour the elite,” Rhodes-Vivour said.
“You look at how they do housing. Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) is mainly focused in highbrow areas, and always at the push out of the vulnerable of our society.”
He cited the demolition of homes in Makoko, despite earlier political assurances to residents, as an example of government policies failing to protect low-income communities.
The ADC candidate also argued that private-sector housing developments introduced in place of such communities remained beyond the financial reach of many Lagos residents.
“So that is why, on paper, Lagos celebrates a high IGR, but on the ground, people are not experiencing the benefits of coming from a state that is this rich,” he said.
Rhodes-Vivour said his proposed administration would focus on policies designed to improve the living conditions of residents on lower incomes.
“All our policies are centred around the people and the people that are struggling in Lagos state,” he said.
He pledged to provide more than 100,000 housing units, adding that a transparent allocation process would be introduced to prevent individuals from acquiring multiple properties.
“We are not going to have a situation where one person can then own 10 units,” he said.
He further proposed a housing arrangement that would enable residents to move into larger properties as their earnings and family sizes increase.
Under the proposed system, young people leaving school could initially occupy self-contained apartments, progress to two-bedroom homes after marriage and eventually qualify for three-bedroom properties as their families grow.
Rhodes-Vivour explained that the arrangement would allow residents to accumulate credit or points over time, which could later be used to secure mortgage facilities.
“There’s credit that is being acquired, or points are being acquired all down this value chain, so that in your 40s, in your 50s, that credit can then be applied to a mortgage,” he said.
He said the proposal would use housing policy to help residents build financial capacity gradually while improving their access to accommodation.