Lagos PDP gov candidate promises power rebates, cheaper housing

Lagos' Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Deji Doherty, pledged to offer electricity cost relief to residents and businesses through rebates and measures to make housing more affordable if elected. During the Lagos Governorship Debate, Doherty announced his 10-point manifesto, stating he would focus on policies that put more money in residents' pockets from the beginning of his term.

He emphasized that electricity costs are a significant barrier to industrial growth, with a current tariff of N220 per kilowatt making profitability challenging for businesses. Doherty questioned the feasibility of building 150,000 houses within four years, citing high costs of building materials and land in Lagos. Instead, his administration would establish a research team to find ways to reduce construction costs, he said.

Concerns were raised about the lack of basic infrastructure and social amenities in Lagos communities, particularly in the state's riverine areas, many of which had no primary healthcare facilities. Doherty, a technocrat, businessman, entrepreneur, and industrialist, described his political involvement as driven by interactions with residents and his long-standing membership in the PDP since 1998.