Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has urged opposition parties seeking political change in the state to demonstrate how their proposed alternatives would improve on the existing development model.
Sanwo-Olu made the call on Tuesday while delivering the centenary anniversary lecture of the Yoruba Tennis Club at its Greetings Hall in Onikan, Lagos.
Speaking on the theme, “Democracy, Governance, and the Lagos Spirit: A Century of Excellence,” the governor argued that Lagos had benefited from continuity in governance and said political change should be backed by credible and tested ideas.
“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,” he said.
He said Lagos should not abandon an established development path simply to demonstrate political control, arguing that alternatives should be capable of competing on the basis of ideas and outcomes.
Sanwo-Olu, who also serves as the South-West Zonal Coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, extended the argument to the national level, saying the All Progressives Congress would seek to build on what he described as the gains of President Bola Tinubu’s reforms.
He cited areas including foreign exchange stability, education, agriculture and security as sectors where he said the reforms had produced visible gains.
Reflecting on Lagos’ political history, the governor described the “Lagos Spirit” as a combination of courage, self-reliance, openness and continuous improvement. He recalled the state’s role in the June 12 pro-democracy struggle, civic activism and the development of indigenous political institutions.
According to him, continuity since the return to democratic rule in 1999 had allowed successive administrations to build on an existing development blueprint. He identified vision, self-reliance, partnership and measuring governance by its impact on residents as the four principles of what he called the “Lagos Playbook.”
He cited the Blue and Red Line rail projects as examples of infrastructure developed through continuity, while noting that reforms to the state’s tax and fiscal systems had strengthened internally generated revenue.
Reviewing his seven years in office, Sanwo-Olu said his administration’s THEMES+ agenda had delivered projects and reforms across transportation, healthcare, education, technology, tourism, entertainment, security, the environment and governance.
Among the projects he highlighted were two public universities, the Imota Rice Mill, submarine cable landings and data centres, as well as the construction of a major children’s hospital and the introduction of digital technology in public school classrooms.
He also disclosed that Lagos was developing the Central Food Security System and Logistics Hub at Ketu-Ereyun to improve food aggregation, storage, processing and distribution.
The event was attended by First Lady Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor and APC governorship candidate Obafemi Hamzat, political and traditional leaders, public officials and members of the Yoruba Tennis Club.
