Governorship Debate: Why many Lagos residents remain poor – GRV explains

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has accused successive state governments of prioritising elite interests over the welfare of ordinary residents. Rhodes-Vivour, popularly known as GRV, made the allegation during the Lagos governorship debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium held in Lagos on Sunday, where he outlined his plans to address the state’s challenges.

He said his manifesto was designed to put residents first, adding that his administration would introduce practical solutions to problems including waste management, traffic congestion, healthcare and 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.

The ADC candidate criticised the Lagos government over what he described as decades of policies focused on wealthy neighbourhoods and the elite, particularly in housing development. He cited the government’s approach to communities such as Makoko, accusing the authorities of celebrating the state’s development while pushing out residents from their communities.

Rhodes-Vivour also questioned the impact of Lagos State’s internally generated revenue (IGR), arguing that the figures often celebrated by the government did not reflect the economic realities of ordinary residents. “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.

We would focus on people, our policies are tailored towards that.” He promised that an ADC-led administration would prioritise policies that directly address residents’ needs, reiterating his commitment to delivering 100,000 housing units. The debate was organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium, comprising Channels Television, TVC News, The PUNCH, TheCable and Vanguard.

Other major contenders at the debate include Lagos Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Obafemi Hamzat; Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Funso Doherty; and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Deji Doherty.