Not until Saturday, January 12 when candidates in the 2019 gubernatorial election in Lagos State engaged in a debate did it dawn on residents of Nigeria’s commercial capital that there might be another competent option to choose from other than the candidates from the two popular parties.
In what was described as an outstanding performance by audience and listeners of the debate, the candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), BabatundeGbadamosi, showed clear understanding of the workings of Nigeria’s commercial hub as he reeled out points and policies that he would put in place, if elected governor, to get the state on the path to sustainable development.
His poise, confidence and brilliancy were rated top among other notable candidates who engaged in the debate, including the candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Jimi Agbaje.
Gbadamosi, who was a member of the PDP before defecting to the ADP, said if elected into office he would operate an open government by bringing in his experience from the private sector with respect to handling the state finances.
He said he would be able to do this because he “does not have a godfather”, indirectly teasing the APC candidate, Sanwo-Olu, who is believed to enjoy the backing of a former governor of the state and APC national leader, Bola Tinubu. Tinubu is generally believed to be the final arbiter in the affairs of the state in the last 20 years.
Lagos, Nigeria’s centre of excellence and commercial hub, claims the number one spot when it comes to business location in the country. The state posted about $137 billion in Gross Domestic Product in 2017, almost three times the $47 billion that Nigeria’s West Africanneighbour, Ghana, recorded as its total market value for 2017.
Lagos has consistently raked in the highest amount among all the states of the federation in terms of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), turning in N196 billion in revenue as at the first half of 2018.
With a population of over 21 million residents, the state is still in dire need of adequate transport system that could ease free movement of goods and services. The issue of poor road network is compounded by trucks that have taken over every inch of space on the roads, with many of the drivers turning the roads into their place of abode and toilet, littering the environment with faeces.
When asked by the moderator on how the traffic situation in the state would be resolved, other candidates failed to give in-depth steps on how the problems could be solved. Gbadamosi, on the other hand, highlighted realistic and pertinent steps that would be taken to reduce the chaotic situation within his first 100 days in office.
“An effective rail system has to be created to enable the proper movement of containers from the wharves, to lighter terminals all around Lagos as this will free up the current problematic state where thousands of trailers crowd out smaller commuters plying the narrow roads in the state,” Gbadamosi said.
“Furthermore, we need to make use of the waterways as another effective means of reducing this problematic situation. It would even help generate greater revenue for the state,” he added.
The ADP candidate noted that there is a need for the devolution of powers and restructuring of Nigeria that will give Lagos more control of the port.
What eventually wowed the audience on was when he corrected a statement made by the candidate of the ruling party, Sanwo-Olu, that the state government was transparent and publishes its budgets as at when due.
Responding, Gbadamosi pointed out that the Lagos State government was known for being opaque rather than open with data, contrary to the APC candidate’s claim. He noted also that the budget website of the state no longer existed for the public to have a feel.
Another thumbs-up given by the audience to Gbadamosi at the debate was when he singularly and confidently spoke about the issue of Alpha Beta Consulting, a firm said to be owned by Tinubu. He said he would take over the Lagos Integration Regeneration Plan for local governments that Alpha Beta is currently handling.
Gbadamosi also faulted the white elephant projects of the current administration. He broke down the costs of the Ethiopian rail project and the Lagos light rail project.
“The light rail project is being built at a cost of over $1 billion. However, in Ethiopia, there is a heavy rail project started in 2011 and completed in 2016; it is already in use, built at the cost of $5.2 million per km. However, in Lagos, we apparently spend $54 million per km on that light rail project that has been on for the past 10 years and has not been completed,” Gbadamosi said.
“We are going to bring in prudence in public sector spending, end the waste, cut the fat and invest in infrastructure,” he said.
The ADP governorship candidate said it was still unclear to him why the Lagos State government is unable to complete its light rail project in 10 years, when it can open the state for the private sector players to come in.
He also cited examples of what was being done in other places with similar demographics like Lagos, such as Singapore and Ethiopia, promising to improve tourism as a means of growing the state tax revenue if elected into office.
On health, he said he would improve the health and welfare of Lagos residents by making health insurance compulsory for all, even to the informal sector of the economy.
At the end of the debate, several opinions polled across different outlets showed that attention has been drawn to the ADP candidate, as opposed to the earlier mindset that the governorship election in Lagos State would be between the candidates of the APC and the PDP.
The interview was moderated by British-Nigerian Christian broadcaster, Victor Oladokun.
Opinions however, are divergent as to the extent the sterling performance at the debate would add to the electoral fortunes of Gbadamosi.
A civil servant in Lagos described the ADP candidate as a good material that can one day become the governor of Lagos State if he takes the right steps.
“With what we saw last Sunday, Gbadamosi is an emerging force to reckon with in Lagos. He can become the governor of the state if he aligns himself with the forces that call the shots in the state in relation to determining who gets what in the political equation in the state. He has the carriage; he has the knowledge about what to do in office and he knows Lagos through and through,” the civil servant said, craving anonymity.
Another analyst, a media practitioner, told the BusinessDay that brilliant performance at debates alone is not enough to guarantee the electoral victory of a candidate.
“It will be too simplistic to assume that because Gbadamosi acquitted himself well at the debate, he will be the next governor. There is a gulf between verbalisation of ideas and the implementation of such ideas. There are those who are eloquent in communicating with people and there are others who do not have such oratorical skill, but they know what they want to do and how to go about what they want to achieve. So, it is not given that the man if voted for would do better than any of those who appeared at the debate with him that day. Again, the question is, how many of the voting population in Lagos watched or saw the debate, and how many of them do you think would be influenced by what they see to be able to vote Gbadamosi? I tell you that there is nowhere in the world where performance at debate alone has won elections for anybody. But do not get me wrong, the man deserves all the commendations that anybody can give him for his good performance,” the analyst said.
