Hamzat Promises 25-Year Mortgages, One-Year Rent Enforcement

By Adedapo Adesanya

Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2027 general elections, Mr Obafemi Hamzat, has promised to introduce a 25-year mortgage scheme, enforce the one-year rent limit and increase the state’s public bus fleet from 1,000 to 4,000 if elected governor in 2027.

Mr Hamzat made the promises on Sunday during the Lagos Governorship Debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium at The Hub by IALA, Lekki, Lagos.

The debate featured three other governorship candidates, Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr Funso Doherty of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and Mr Deji Doherty of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Describing the debate as an opportunity for voters to assess his preparedness for the job, Mr Hamzat said he regarded the event as a job interview.

“I take tonight as a job interview. The first question you ask anybody who wants this type of responsibility is: what have you done to prepare for this job?” he said.

To support his claim of experience, the APC candidate highlighted his previous appointments as Commissioner for Science and Technology and Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure.

He said he oversaw the development of the state’s residents and structural database while serving as Commissioner for Science and Technology, and led the team that delivered the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge as Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure.

Mr Hamzat also outlined three principles that would guide his administration: respect for citizens, hard work and truthfulness.

He defended the record of the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in which he has served as deputy governor for almost eight years, but admitted that there were areas requiring improvement.

“I am comfortable with a lot of things Lagos government has achieved; I also know that there are gaps, and that is the judgment I bring to the table,” he said.

Responding to questions about the hardship facing residents despite the state’s economic strength, Mr Hamzat acknowledged that transportation, housing and food remained major concerns.

He attributed some of the economic difficulties to what he described as a corrective phase in the country’s finances, saying the state government would deliberately intervene to ease the burden on residents.

“We are going through a corrective phase financially in Nigeria. We understand that transportation, housing and food are major concerns for our people, and these are areas where government must deliberately intervene,” he said.

On housing, Mr Hamzat said the Sanwo-Olu administration had delivered 24 housing estates comprising 18,000 housing units in the last eight years.

He promised that his administration would make homeownership easier through a mortgage scheme requiring an initial deposit of 10 per cent, with the balance spread over 25 years.

The proposal is aimed at helping residents acquire homes without having to pay the full cost at once.

His housing plan came amid a contrasting proposal by Rhodes-Vivour, who promised to deliver 100,000 housing units within four years through measures including luxury taxation, development of the eastern foreshore and decentralisation of housing projects.

Mr Hamzat also pledged to enforce the existing one-year rent limit to prevent landlords and estate agents from demanding two or three years’ rent in advance.

He said the government would ensure that tenants were not forced to pay several years’ rent before occupying their homes.

“So the next chapter for Lagos is to enforce, to make sure. So people should not be asked two years, three years ahead because nobody gets salary three years ahead,” he said.

The one-year rent limit is already provided for under Section 4 of the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011, which prohibits landlords and their agents from demanding more than one year’s rent in advance from a new tenant. Hamzat’s pledge therefore centres on enforcing the existing law.

On transportation, the APC candidate promised an integrated network of roads, rail and waterways to improve movement across the state.

He said his administration would increase the public bus fleet from 1,000 to 4,000, with the deployment of compressed natural gas-powered buses to improve mass transit and move more commuters.

The APC candidate also promised to extend the Blue Line rail to Okokomaiko and advance the Green Line towards the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

While Mr Rhodes-Vivour proposed connecting all the rail lines within two and a half years through a private-sector-driven approach, Mr Hamzat said his focus would be on expanding existing infrastructure and integrating the different transport systems.

On healthcare, Mr Hamzat promised to increase the number of flagship primary healthcare centres from 87 to 150, with the facilities expected to operate round the clock.

He also pledged to expand hospital infrastructure and improve access to medical services across the state.

On security, he outlined plans to strengthen the state’s security system, including the establishment of a state police. He also identified flooding and waste management as areas requiring attention.

The APC candidate said his proposed administration would be guided by a 100-point development agenda covering transportation, healthcare, education, housing, security, employment and accountability.

The blueprint, known as The Lagos Promise or Ileri Eko, is built around seven pillars: People First, Renewal, Opportunity, Machinery of Government, Inclusion, Security and Resilience, and Everyday Dignity, and sets out his plans for the state’s next phase of development.

The debate, the first in the Nigeria Debate Consortium’s national series ahead of the February 6, 2027 governorship election, was organised by Channels Television, TVC News, The PUNCH, TheCable and Vanguard.

The candidates were given the opportunity to present their positions on transportation, infrastructure, security, housing, education, healthcare, job creation and economic development.