The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Adedeji Doherty, has proposed a plan to address the state's housing affordability crisis. During the Lagos Governorship Debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium in Lekki, Doherty stated that no government can control private landlords. Instead, he suggested that the state should rent houses from property owners and sublet them to residents. This approach aims to provide affordable housing options for Lagosians.
Doherty's proposal involves the government taking up rented properties and making them available to residents, rather than relying solely on direct intervention in privately owned accommodation. He argued that government cannot dictate how private landlords manage their properties. "There is no government that can control a landlord. What we are going to do is we are going to rent those houses ourselves, and you can now come to rent them from us if you want to," he said.
The PDP candidate also dismissed the feasibility of constructing 150,000 housing units within four years, citing the high cost of construction and the difficulty of controlling building material prices. "There is no way I am going to build 150,000 houses in four years because they are going to be expensive, and I don’t have control over the materials that you are going to use to build these houses. I don’t have control over the price," he declared. This target is a major campaign commitment of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate, Funso Doherty.
Doherty identified Lagos State's debt burden, over-bloated ministries, departments and agencies, and the lack of local government autonomy as factors contributing to the difficulties facing residents despite the state's considerable wealth. He emphasised the importance of electricity to economic development, stating that "Power is wealth, and Lagos State needs power." The PDP candidate promised to pursue policies that would provide immediate financial relief to residents if elected governor.
The debate provided an opportunity for the candidates to explain their plans for addressing housing, transportation, economic development and other challenges confronting Lagosians. Doherty is contesting the February 6, 2027, Lagos governorship election against candidates including incumbent Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat of the All Progressives Congress, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the African Democratic Congress and Funso Doherty of the NDC.
Doherty's plan aims to provide affordable housing options for Lagosians by renting houses from property owners and subletting them to residents. This approach could help alleviate the housing affordability crisis in Lagos State. The PDP candidate's proposal has sparked interest among residents, who are eager to hear from candidates on how they plan to address the state's challenges.
The Lagos governorship election is scheduled for February 6, 2027. Residents are expecting candidates to provide concrete solutions to the state's challenges, including housing affordability, transportation, and economic development. The debate has provided a platform for candidates to share their visions and plans with the public.
Key points
- PDP governorship candidate Adedeji Doherty proposes state-led housing rental plan.
