Today, residents of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre and Africa’s most populous city, will choose a new governor in arguably the most hotly contested election since the return to democracy in 1999. The major contestants in the election are Akinwunmi Ambode of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which lost the presidential election to the former. The lead up to the polls has been dominated by the widely condemned death threats of the traditional ruler of the city, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, on those who go against his choice candidate– the APC’s Ambode. However, despite popular perception of the speech as an election swinger, here are the real issues that will determine who gets the vote of Lagosians– as residents of Lagos are fondly called.
Infrastructure
Lagos is the fourth largest city in the world by population density, but it has a grossly inadequate infrastructure struggling in the weight of 21 million residents. The inability of the state’s roads to accommodate commuters have led to daily traffic gridlocks so bad that it is has become the distinguishing feature of the city. The outgoing government has tried to create and repair access roads, as well as develop other transport networks, but the result of its efforts have fallen well below demand. Residents, living the daily reality of painful traffic logjams, the several bad roads that persist, and the absence of an efficient alternative transport systems, will be on the lookout for innovative solutions being proposed by both candidates.
Socio-Economic Inequality
Despite the tremendous advancements of Lagos over the last decade, the state remains plagued by soaring socio-economic inequality. The APC-led government, which has driven this change, has been accused of elitism and neglecting the poor masses, a charge it vociferously denies. Regardless, the pledge to tackle inequality has taken predominance in the political campaigns of both the ruling party and the PDP, an indication of its importance to Lagosians. While both candidates have promised a ‘Lagos for All’, expect voters to cast their ballot for whom they believe the more.
The Issue of Change
A fortnight ago, Nigerians, on the APC-led campaign of change, broke the dominance of the PDP, ruling party at the federal level. Now, the PDP is also pushing on the euphoria of change to advocate the breaking of the APC’s dominance of Lagos state. Lagos state has been held by the APC (and the parties merged into) since 1999. While the PDP has preached the gospel of change as breaking the domineering control of the party in country’s most important city, the APC has pushed back with the argument that letting the PDP gain power in Lagos would be returning to them the dominance they just lost less than a month ago. Change is utmost in the voters’ minds, their interpretation of it will determine who they vote for today.
Taxes, fines and fees
Lagos may have been lauded for its ability to collect more in taxes than the Nigerian federal government, but locals are feeling the pain of multiple taxations schemes. Most business owners, particularly start-ups, have regularly complained of being overburdened by the different collections employed by past administrations. From TV licences, which on some occasions can reach an annual high of N120,000 ($500) to land use charges that can amount to N300,000 ($1400), smaller businesses are said to be paying more to the government than spending on business growth. Policies surrounding the controversial toll collections in Lekki, Lagos Island, will also prove a critical factor in who emerges victorious.
