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Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Femi Olaniyi, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of denying successive governors the freedom to implement their plans for the state.
Olaniyi made the allegation yesterday during an interview on ARISE News, while outlining his vision for Lagos ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
He argued that the problem was not necessarily the absence of good plans by the state government, but the influence of people to whom governors were allegedly answerable.
“You will see that even the governor of Sanwo Olu, we cannot categorically 100% say that Sanwo Olu does not have good manifesto for Lagos people.
“But when you have set of people that you are answerable to, that did not give you a free hand to even project whatever you have in mind and for the people of Lagos State. So there is no way you will succeed,” Olaniyi said.
Asked whether he believed Lagos politics had a godfatherism problem, the SDP candidate said the issue needed to be examined carefully.
“We need to check what is actually the problem of Lagos. Nobody is giving every governor that is coming under APC free hands to move Lagos to the promised land,” he said.
Olaniyi also questioned the level of unity within the Lagos APC, citing disagreements over the emergence of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the party’s preferred successor to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“Well, even within Lagos State APC, do you think there is synergy? Some people are shouting that why would they bring Hamzat and put it on them? There have been a lot of misunderstandings among them,” he said.
He, however, argued that political differences should not prevent elected officials and their supporters from participating freely in a democratic system.
Olaniyi likened politics to a football match, where opposing teams compete but do not prevent one another from taking part.
“Politics should be like a football match where you have your own team, I have my own team, and everybody must come to defeat. Your supporters must come to hail you,” he said.
“Not that my supporter as Arsenal will now be depriving your supporter as PSG to enter the pitch to support you. Politics should be a level playing field.”
Olaniyi’s comments come as political parties and aspirants intensify preparations for the 2027 Lagos governorship election, with governance, political independence and accountability expected to feature prominently in the contest.
