APC: For over a quarter of a century, Lagos State has been under the thumb of a single political hegemony. Whether they called themselves the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), or today’s All Progressives Congress (APC), the hands pulling the strings have remained the same. As a Digital Transformation expert, I look at systems, data, and outcomes. When we apply a clinical scorecard to the last 26 years of this “progressive” rule, the data doesn’t just whisper; it screams failure.
The Dynasty of Continuity: One Party, Many Faces
To understand the current crisis, we must look at the lineage of this 26-year reign:
The Tinubu Era (1999–2007): The foundation of the current “tax-and-spend” model and the emergence of the political “godfather” system.
The Fashola Era (2007–2015): The era of the “Lagos State Development Plan (LSDP),” where the rhetoric of a “Mega City” was polished, yet the seeds of massive state debt were sown.
The Ambode Era (2015–2019): A period marked by internal party strife and the controversial termination of waste management systems that left Lagos buried in refuse.
The Sanwo-Olu Era (2019–Present): An administration defined by “theatrical governance,” a failure to manage the EndSARS crisis, and the most divisive election cycle in our state’s history.
The LSDP 2012–2025: A Document of Deception
In 2013, the government launched the Lagos State Development Plan (LSDP) 2012-2025, promising to transform Lagos into “Africa’s Model Mega City” that is “Safe, Secure, Functional and Productive”. Let’s hold their scorecard against their own benchmarks:
1. The Economic Mirage: The plan aimed for a real GDP growth of at least 10% by 2020 and an unemployment rate of just 5%. Instead, we have seen an explosion in the “Agbero Economy,” where state-sanctioned touts extort businesses while formal unemployment and underemployment have skyrocketed. In 2012, 60% of Lagosians lived at or below the poverty line. Over a decade later, despite trillions in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the average Lagosian is poorer today than they were when this plan was written.
2. The Infrastructure Deficit: The LSDP promised to “lessen traffic congestion” as a key economic need. Yet, the “Strategic Transport Master Plan” remains a half-finished puzzle. The Blue and Red rail lines, touted for decades, have suffered endless delays while the daily commute for a worker from Ikorodu or Abule-Egba remains a harrowing experience of gridlock and extortion.
3. The Housing Crisis & Slum Havoc: The government’s own document admitted that 75% of the population, 15 million people, lived in substandard housing. Their solution? Not the “slum upgrading” promised in the plan, but the violent demolition of communities like Otodo Gbame and Makoko, rendering thousands homeless to make way for luxury high-rises that remain vacant.
Governance by Division: The Havoc of 2023
The greatest “havoc” created by the APC in Lagos isn’t just the crumbling infrastructure; it is the intentional fracturing of our social fabric. To maintain their 26-year grip, they have moved from “governance” to “tribal warfare.”
The 2023 elections saw the weaponization of ethnicity, turning neighbors against each other to distract from the failure of the “Model Mega City” vision. This division is a direct violation of the “Social Protection” and “Security” pillars outlined in their own development plan, which aimed for a “safe and secure” environment for all.
The Way Forward: Digital Transformation & Inclusion
As a Digital Transformation expert, I know that you cannot fix a broken system with the same logic that broke it. Lagos does not need another 20-year “plan” that gathers dust; it needs:
Transparency in Revenue: An end to the opaque collection of taxes and a full audit of the state’s massive debt profile.
A “People-First” Digital Economy: Moving beyond “E-Governance” slogans to actual digital inclusion that empowers MSMEs, not just those with political connections.
Security for All, Not a Few: Reforming the RRS and security apparatus to protect the citizen from both criminals and state-sponsored thugs.
The last 26 years have shown us that a “Mega City” is not built on billboards and propaganda. It is built on the dignity of its people. The APC scorecard is a trail of red ink, failed promises, crushing debt, and social division. Lagosians, it is time to stop renewing a contract with failure. We deserve a functional, inclusive, and truly digital Lagos. APC
The time for a new direction is now
Read More:
- Sovereignty in Chains: Unmasking the Subterfuge of Local Government Autonomy, By Rotimi Odunaike CX/Digital Transformation Expert & Political Leader
- THE CULTURE CULL: Why Our Government is Selling Nigeria’s Soul for a Colonial Knock-Off. By Rotimi Odunaike
- The Education Lockdown: Nigerian Youth Decry Government’s Response to School Insecurity By Rotimi Odunaike
