The Lagos State governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Prince Laja Adeoye, has faulted Deputy Governor and APC candidate,Dr Obafemi Hamzat, over his comment on the state’s housing crisis.
Adeoye described Hamzat’s advice to residents facing high rents to share apartments or continue living with their parents as “an admission of failure” by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Hamzat, in an interview during the week, had advised residents, especially young people struggling with rising costs of accommodation, to consider sharing apartments or remain with their parents while building their finances.
Adeoye, in a statement issued on Saturday, said the advice was not a solution to the housing crisis,but a reflection of what he called the inability of APC to tackle the problem after nearly three decades in power.
“The solution to Lagos State’s housing crisis is not to tell residents to share apartments or continue living with their parents.
“That is not leadership, it is an admission of failure by the ruling APC, who has been at the saddle for nearly three decades, which Mr Obafemi Hamzat has been part and parcel of as an insider,” Adeoye, a real estate expert, said.
The APM candidate said Lagos required a deliberate policy to provide affordable housing through direct government intervention and genuine Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
He cited the housing programme of the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande as an example of what could be achieved through political will and effective planning.
“Alhaji Lateef Jakande showed it is possible. It is not rocket science. We only need the will to modernise and build on that proven approach,” he said.
Adeoye also linked the housing crisis to unemployment and low income, saying his administration would empower at least 100,000 new entrepreneurs annually with seed capital.
“Lagos has the market and the population for these businesses to scale quickly.
“When people earn well, they can afford decent homes of their own without being forced to crowd into family houses or share cramped apartments,” he said.
He said his administration would focus on creating economic opportunities that would enable residents to earn enough to afford decent accommodation.
“Governance is not about managing scarcity with lazy advice. It is about solving problems with clear, workable solutions,” Adeoye said.
The APM candidate further accused the APC administration of prioritising the interests of political godfathers over people-oriented housing projects.
“The ruling APC which Mr Hamzat represents will rather not do pro-people housing projects but do the bidding of his godfathers.
“An APM government in Lagos and in Nigeria will bring good governance to your doorstep, you will see the difference clearly,” Adeoye said.
According to him, Lagos is grappling with a housing deficit estimated at more than 2.5 million units,citing figures released by the Lagos State Ministry of Housing.
Adeoye said an APM administration would pursue practical policies aimed at expanding housing supply while simultaneously increasing the earning capacity of residents.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that rising rents have pushed many residents towards the outskirts of the state, while accommodation costs in several parts of Lagos continue to rise amid economic pressures.
Housing experts have attributed the deficit to population growth, inflation, rising construction costs and limited access to affordable mortgage financing.
Hamzat’s comment has also attracted scathing criticisms on social media.
The housing crisis is expected to be a major campaign issue ahead of the 2027 State governorship election