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The Labour Party has unveiled Rotimi Odunaike and Prince Lateef Adele as its governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the 2027 governorship election in Lagos State, with a promise of people-centred governance.
At the campaign flag-off in Ikeja on Friday, Odunaike pledged to build “A New Lagos For All” as he presented four-point commitments, tagged Building EKO, outlining his vision for improved public services, economic opportunities and inclusive development.
The governorship candidate said his proposed administration would prioritise welfare of residents and ensure that the state’s revenue translates into improved living conditions.
He identified transportation, affordable housing, healthcare, water supply, power, environmental safety, climate resilience and economic development as key areas requiring attention.
“Our standard of living, our cost of living is not commensurate with the IGR that’s generated in this state,” he said.
Odunaike argued that economic growth should be reflected in better public services and reduced commuting difficulties, noting that many residents spend long hours travelling between their homes and workplaces.
“If our IGR keeps going up, and the impact on your lives is not going up, you can’t leave home at 7 and get to work at 8 or 8.30. You have to leave home at 7 and get to work at 10 or 11.
“That’s not life. That’s not thriving. That is even beyond survival, and that’s what we want to change in Lagos,” he said.
Presenting his Building EKO agenda, Odunaike said his proposed administration would be guided by four commitments: building EKO, delivering excellence, growing opportunities and leaving no one behind.
On the first commitment, ‘We Will Build EKO’, he promised to preserve the cultural heritage of Lagos while positioning the state as a centre for innovation, creativity, tourism, enterprise and investment.
He said his vision was to strengthen Lagos’ identity and reputation while protecting the environment and regenerating communities.
Under the second commitment, ‘We Will Deliver Excellence’, Odunaike pledged improvements in roads, schools, affordable housing, healthcare, markets, neighbourhood security, water supply, power and public transportation.
He said his administration would make performance measurable by setting targets and tracking projects to ensure public funds deliver value.
“Every commitment will have a target. Every project will be tracked. Every naira will be expected to create value, because public money belongs to the public, and public trust must be earned through performance,” he said.
The third commitment, ‘We Will Grow Opportunity’, focuses on supporting entrepreneurs, artisans, young people, women, workers and businesses through improved infrastructure, reliable utilities, digital connectivity and skills development.
The governorship candidate also identified technology, manufacturing, tourism and the creative economy as areas that could create opportunities for residents and support economic growth.
If elected, he said, his administration will seek to improve the business environment, support small businesses and modernise markets, which he described as central to the economy of Lagos.
On the fourth commitment, ‘We Will Leave No One Behind’, Odunaike promised to pursue a more inclusive approach to development, with attention to communities and groups that need greater access to public investment and essential services.
He specifically mentioned Makoko, Mile 12, Badagry, Epe and Ikorodu, highlighting the need to address the challenges facing children, traders, fishermen, farmers, families, elderly people, women and persons living with disabilities.
“A city’s success is not measured by the wealth of its richest neighbourhood; it is measured by the opportunity available to every citizen.
“Growth that excludes people is not progress. Development that leaves communities behind is not development,” he stated.
Odunaike said the four commitments would guide policy decisions, with his administration assessing whether government actions would strengthen Lagos, improve public services, expand opportunities and promote inclusion.
“These four commitments are more than policy, they are a covenant,” he said.
He added that addressing the challenges facing Lagos would require the participation of residents alongside government efforts.
“Impossible is nothing, and I do believe that impossible is nothing, but I cannot do it alone. We cannot do it alone. It has to involve every single Lagosian,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Esther Usman, urged Lagos residents to support the party in the 2027 governorship election, citing Abia State as an example of its approach to governance.
She described the rally as an opportunity to formally present the party’s governorship candidate and seek the support of residents ahead of the election.
“I would say it’s an unveiling for us to show our candidate for the next gubernatorial election, which will come in 2027, and to solicit support from the people of Lagos State,” she said.
Usman said the party’s ideology was built around social justice, equal opportunities and placing citizens’ welfare at the centre of government policies.
“My message to them is, please look at Abia State. That is a practical example of what the Labour Party stands for. Our party has a clear-cut ideology: social justice, equal opportunities,” she said.
She added that a Labour Party administration in Lagos would prioritise residents irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds, religion or beliefs.
“The human being comes first. The citizens of Abia come first as far as every policy that has been put in place by Governor Otti.
“Likewise here, if the Labour Party is given the opportunity, the citizens of Lagos, no matter what tribe, no matter their religion, creed or faith, they would come first,” she said.
The Lagos State Chairman of Labour Party, Comrade Rasheed Adebayo Bamishe said the party was preparing for the 2027 election amid what he described as residents’ continued demand for change.
He argued that living conditions had not improved as expected since the 2023 general election, adding that the party was seeking to offer a different approach to governance.
“The reason is as simple as the fact that between 2023 till date, nothing has changed, which is rather worse than it was before the 2023 general election. And of course, the masses are still awaiting that genuine change,” he said.
Adebayo expressed confidence in Odunaike and Adele, saying the candidates understood the needs of Lagos residents.
“Our amiable candidates in person of Rotimi, and of course, Prince Lateef Adele, they are Lagosians. And they know what Lagos requires. So they will not disappoint. They will deliver right from day one,” he said.
The chairman also addressed concerns about internal disagreements within the party, insisting that it remained united and was moving in a new direction.
He urged members and supporters to intensify their preparations for the election and protect their votes.
“The message to our supporters and members is that we must double our efforts against what happened in 2023. And of course, the situation now, the living condition requires determination, positive determination to vote, defend and protect the vote so that the result will count,” he said.
