By our Reporter
Dr Obafemi Hamzat, Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, has unveiled plans to introduce a 25-year mortgage scheme, enforce the one-year rent limit and increase the state’s public bus fleet from 1,000 to 4,000 if elected governor in 2027.
Hamzat made the promises on Sunday during the Lagos Governorship Debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium at The Hub by IALA, Lekki, Lagos.
The debate featured three other governorship candidates: Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Funso Doherty of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and Deji Doherty of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Describing the debate as an opportunity for voters to assess his preparedness for leadership, Hamzat said he considered the event a job interview, stressing that his experience in government had prepared him for the responsibility.
“I take tonight as a job interview. The first question you ask anybody that wants this type of responsibility is: what have you done to prepare for this job?” he said.
To demonstrate his experience, the APC candidate highlighted his previous appointments as Commissioner for Science and Technology and Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure.
He said he oversaw the development of the state’s residents and structural database while serving as Commissioner for Science and Technology and led the team that delivered the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure.
Hamzat identified respect for citizens, hard work and truthfulness as the three principles that would guide his administration.
While defending the achievements of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, in which he has served as deputy governor for nearly eight years, he acknowledged that some areas required improvement.
“I am comfortable with a lot of things Lagos government has achieved, I also know that there are gaps, and that is the judgment I bring to the table,” he said.
Addressing concerns over the economic hardship facing residents despite Lagos State’s economic strength, Hamzat identified transportation, housing and food as major challenges requiring deliberate government intervention.
He attributed some of the economic difficulties to what he described as a corrective phase in the country’s finances, promising targeted interventions to ease the burden on residents.
On housing, Hamzat said the Sanwo-Olu administration had delivered 24 housing estates comprising 18,000 housing units in the last eight years.
He promised to introduce a mortgage scheme that would allow residents to acquire homes with an initial deposit of 10 per cent and spread the balance over 25 years.
The proposal is intended to make homeownership more accessible by reducing the financial burden of paying the full cost of a property upfront.
On tenancy, the APC candidate pledged to enforce the existing one-year rent limit, warning against the practice of landlords and estate agents demanding two or three years’ rent in advance.
He argued that tenants should not be compelled to pay several years’ rent upfront when most workers do not receive their salaries years in advance.
“So the next chapter for Lagos is to enforce, to make sure. So people should not be asked two years, three years ahead because nobody gets salary three years ahead,” he said.
The one-year rent limit is already provided for under Section 4 of the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011, which prohibits landlords and their agents from demanding more than one year’s rent in advance from new tenants.
On transportation, Hamzat promised an integrated transport system involving roads, rail and waterways to improve mobility across the state.
He said his administration would increase the public bus fleet from 1,000 to 4,000, with the deployment of compressed natural gas-powered buses to expand mass transit services and accommodate more commuters.
He also pledged to extend the Blue Line rail to Okokomaiko and advance the Green Line towards the Lekki Free Trade Zone.
On healthcare, Hamzat promised to increase the number of flagship primary healthcare centres from 87 to 150, with the facilities operating round the clock.
He added that his administration would expand hospital infrastructure and improve access to medical services across the state.
On security, the APC candidate expressed support for strengthening the state’s security architecture, including the establishment of state police, while identifying flooding and waste management as other priority areas.
He said his proposed administration would be guided by a 100-point development agenda covering transportation, healthcare, education, housing, security, employment and accountability.
The blueprint, known as The Lagos Promise or Ileri Eko, is structured around seven pillars and outlines his vision for the state’s next phase of development.
The debate, the first in the Nigeria Debate Consortium’s national series ahead of the February 6, 2027 governorship election, was organised by Channels Television, TVC News, The PUNCH, TheCable and Vanguard.
The candidates were given the opportunity to present their positions on transportation, infrastructure, security, housing, education, healthcare, job creation and economic development.
