A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial aspirant in Lagos State, Laja Adeoye, says the party will spring a surprise in 2027 by winning the governorship election.

Mr Adeoye stated this in Lagos on Sunday, adding that the PDP was repositioning to end the long reign of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

“Lagos 2027 will not be business as usual. PDP will spring a surprise that will return power to the people. We will win. It is going to be the biggest upset in the country’s political history,” Mr Adeoye said.

The PDP chieftain said his aspiration was borne out of a desire to give Lagos residents a government that listens and delivers.

He noted that residents were groaning under multiple taxation, traffic gridlock, and a high cost of living under APC rule.

“After many years, Lagos residents are tired of excuses. They want results. They want a government that feels their pain.

“Go to any market, enter any bus, talk to any graduate, the cry is the same: Things are not going the way they should. That must change,” Mr Adeoye said.

He stressed that the country’s economic challenges would work against the APC, saying the impact of the present administration’s policies was felt more in Lagos than in any other state.

“By 2027, Lagosians will ask APC what they did with these long years. We will be on the ballot with answers, not propaganda.

“People are not asking for too much. They want roads without potholes, rents they can afford, and jobs for their children. Governance should be about delivering democratic dividends,” he said.

Mr Adeoye said the PDP  had commenced grassroots mobilisation across the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas of the state.

He disclosed that steps were being taken to resolve all the issues affecting unity in the party ahead of 2027.

“The PDP you saw in 2023 is not the PDP you will see in 2027. We are doing a lot to make the party stronger. We will dislodge the APC and give residents the government they deserve,” he said.

The aspirant revealed that he had been receiving endorsements from several groups across Lagos in recent weeks.

He added that he had also been meeting with party leaders at the state and local levels to build consensus and secure support ahead of the primaries.

“Leaders are listening. Groups are endorsing. The movement is growing. Lagos residents are ready for a new direction,” Mr Adeoye said.

He called on residents to obtain and safeguard their Permanent Voter Cards, describing 2027 as “the year of decision”.

Mr Adeoye said his campaign would be driven by the need to restore hope to the market women in Mushin, the drivers in Agege, and the youth in Yaba.

The aspirant said his blueprint for governing Lagos was anchored on a programme he termed “Àtuntọ Èkó”, meaning “Re-Engineering Lagos”.

“Àtuntọ Èkó is my answer to the long years of neglect. It is a solemn covenant to move Lagos from challenges to solutions,” Mr Adeoye said.

He explained that the agenda covers infrastructure, power, water, housing, education, health, economy, security, governance, and fiscal transparency.

On infrastructure and utilities, Adeoye said the plan provides for Independent Power Projects and renewable energy, potable water supply, flood mitigation, road and rail rehabilitation, and climate-resilient urban planning.

On housing, he said the agenda aims to deliver thousands of low-cost housing units over four years.

“No Lagos worker should spend 60 per cent of his salary on rent. We will end that under Àtuntọ Èkó,” he said.

On human development, the aspirant said the plan includes reviving primary health centres in every ward, rebuilding 1,000 classrooms annually, and expanding the focus on STEM in schools.

On the economy, Adeoye listed SME support, support for the informal sector, tech hubs, blockchain and digital economy, creative industries, and agriculture.

 On security, Adeoye said the plan proposes technology-backed surveillance, support for community policing, and youth and women empowerment programmes to address root causes of insecurity.

On governance, Adeoye said the civil service would be reformed into a digital, performance-driven institution.

On fiscal policy, he said the agenda provides for transparent debt management, prudent borrowing, and real-time publication of budgets, income, and expenditure.

 On legislation and investment, Adeoye said the agenda seeks strong collaboration with the State House of Assembly for pro-people and business-friendly laws.

” It also targets billions in Foreign Direct Investment through economic diplomacy,” he said

He stated that each sector under the agenda has timelines, ring-fenced funding, public-private partnerships, digital monitoring, and performance indicators.

Mr Adeoye said the full Àtuntọ Èkó policy document would soon be unveiled and made public.

“Àtuntọ Èkó is the game-changer. It is our contract to rework Lagos from darkness to light, from congestion to connectivity, from exclusion to opportunity,” he said.

“The time for transformation is now. Together, we will build the Lagos of our dreams. A New Lagos is unfolding,” Mr Adeoye said. 

(NAN)