SANWO-OLU TO OPPOSITION: OFFER CREDIBLE IDEAS, NOT CHANGE FOR CHANGE’S SAKE
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By: Fasasi Hammad
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has challenged opposition political parties to present credible alternatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), rather than seeking political change solely for the sake of change.
Sanwo-Olu made the remarks on Tuesday while delivering the centenary anniversary lecture of the Yoruba Tennis Club in Onikan, Lagos. The lecture was titled, “Democracy, Governance and the Lagos Spirit: A Century of Excellence.”
The governor, who also serves as the South-West Zonal Coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, said continuity in governance had contributed to the development trajectory of Lagos.
He argued that abandoning existing policies and programmes without presenting alternative approaches could disrupt ongoing development efforts.
“We must keep insisting that it cannot be changed merely for the sake of change. We must never think we need to tear things up just to prove that we are in control,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He added that the message would form part of his party’s campaign as the APC seeks to build on what he described as its record of transformation in Lagos.
“Our challenge to the opposition remains the same – to put forward credible ideas that are able to compete with ours, instead of seeking change for the sake of change,” he said.
“Untested novelty is no longer an option for a Lagos State that has tasted and felt the superiority of continuity.”
Sanwo-Olu described the “Lagos Spirit” as one characterised by courage, self-reliance, openness and continuous improvement. He also highlighted Lagos’ history of civic activism, including its role in the June 12 pro-democracy struggle.
According to the governor, successive administrations since the return to democratic rule in 1999 have continued to build on a development blueprint initiated under former Governor Bola Tinubu, now President of Nigeria.
He identified four principles underpinning what he called the “Lagos Playbook” for governance: vision, self-reliance, partnership and measuring governance by its impact on ordinary citizens.
Sanwo-Olu cited projects including the Blue and Red rail lines as examples of what he described as the benefits of policy continuity. He also pointed to reforms in internally generated revenue as an example of the state’s efforts to strengthen its financial independence.
Speaking about his administration’s seven-year tenure, the governor listed interventions under the THEMES Plus agenda across transportation, healthcare, education, technology, security, tourism and the economy.
Among the projects he highlighted were two public universities, the Imota Rice Mill, investments in submarine cable infrastructure and data centres, a children’s hospital, and the Lagos Central Food Security System and Logistics Hub in Ketu-Ereyun.
The governor said the food logistics hub was designed to improve the aggregation, storage, processing and distribution of food across Lagos.
On the centenary of the Yoruba Tennis Club, Sanwo-Olu described the club’s establishment as a response by indigenous Lagosians to racial exclusion during the colonial era.
He urged the club to preserve its founding values while adapting to changing circumstances, and called for greater participation by young people, improved documentation of its history and adherence to high standards in admitting new members.
The Chairman of the Yoruba Tennis Club, Chief Olawunmi Gasper, reaffirmed the club’s commitment to preserving cultural heritage, promoting fellowship and contributing to Lagos’ social, economic and civic development.
The centenary celebration featured the anniversary lecture, the launch of the club’s history book, a groundbreaking ceremony for a proposed Legacy Building and an exhibition of historical and archival materials spanning the club’s 100-year history.
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