Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has challenged opposition parties to present credible alternatives to the policies and development agenda of the All Progressives Congress (APC), rather than seeking political change simply for the sake of change.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on Tuesday while delivering the centenary anniversary lecture of the Yoruba Tennis Club in Lagos, where he defended the principle of continuity in the state’s governance and development.
The governor, who is the South-West Zonal Coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, said Lagos had benefited from successive administrations building on existing development plans.
He argued that the opposition should demonstrate how its ideas would compete with the programmes of the ruling party.
“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,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He also highlighted what he described as the “Lagos Spirit” of courage, self-reliance, partnership and continuous improvement, saying these values had contributed to the state’s political and economic development.
Sanwo-Olu said Lagos’ development since the return of democracy in 1999 had been shaped by continuity, with successive administrations building on a blueprint initiated under former governor and current President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He cited projects including the Blue and Red rail lines, the establishment of two public universities, the Imota Rice Mill, investments in digital infrastructure, healthcare projects and the Lagos Central Food Security System and Logistics Hub.
According to the governor, his administration’s THEMES+ agenda has focused on transportation, health, education, technology, the economy, tourism, security and governance.
He said governance should ultimately be measured by its impact on ordinary residents, including access to healthcare, education, transportation and opportunities for economic advancement.
The governor also used the occasion to reflect on the 100-year history of the Yoruba Tennis Club, describing its establishment as an expression of self-reliance by indigenous Lagosians during the colonial era.
Chairman of the club, Chief Olawunmi Gasper, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to preserving its cultural heritage while contributing to the social, economic and civic development of Lagos.
The centenary celebration featured a lecture, the launch of the club’s history book, the groundbreaking for a proposed Legacy Building and an exhibition of historical and archival materials spanning 100 years.
