Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has challenged opposition political parties to present credible ideas capable of competing with the development agenda of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Sanwo-Olu made the call on Tuesday while delivering the Centenary Anniversary Lecture of the Yoruba Tennis Club in Onikan, Lagos.
The lecture, titled “Democracy, Governance, and the Lagos Spirit: A Century of Excellence,” focused on Lagos State’s political history, governance and development since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
The governor, who is also the South-West Zonal Coordinator of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, argued that Lagos should not abandon continuity for what he described as untested novelty.
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He said successive administrations in Lagos had built on a development blueprint initiated under former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is now President of Nigeria.
Sanwo-Olu challenged opposition parties to offer alternative policies rather than seeking political change simply for its own sake.
He also defended the Tinubu administration’s reforms, saying their gains were becoming visible in areas including foreign exchange stability, education, agriculture and security.
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The governor described what he called the “Lagos Spirit” as a combination of courage, self-reliance, openness and continuous improvement.
He cited Lagos’ role in the June 12 pro-democracy struggle, its history of civic activism and its response to the withholding of the state’s federal allocation in 2004 as examples of the city’s tradition of self-reliance.
Sanwo-Olu identified four principles which he said form the “Lagos Playbook” for governance: vision, self-reliance, partnership and measuring government by its impact on ordinary citizens.
Speaking about his administration’s seven years in office, the governor highlighted projects and initiatives under the THEMES+ agenda, including two public universities, the Imota Rice Mill, investments in data infrastructure, a proposed children’s hospital and the Lagos Central Food Security System and Logistics Hub.
He said the food logistics hub was being developed to support Lagos’ food market, which he put at N5.89 trillion annually.
The governor also reflected on the 100-year history of the Yoruba Tennis Club, describing its establishment as an expression of self-belief by indigenous Lagosians during the colonial era.
He urged the club to preserve its founding values while embracing young people, documenting its history and maintaining high standards in admitting new members.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Yoruba Tennis Club, Chief Olawunmi Gasper, said the club remained committed to preserving Yoruba cultural heritage, promoting fellowship and contributing to Lagos’ social, economic and civic development.
Gasper commended the Sanwo-Olu administration for its infrastructure and development initiatives and described the governor as a public-sector reformer and advocate of people-centred development.
The centenary celebration also featured the launch of the club’s anniversary history book, the turning of the sod for a proposed Legacy Building and an exhibition of historical and archival materials spanning 100 years.
