‘Abuja Politicians’ Blocking Lagos Special Status, Says Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has accused politicians in Abuja of resisting the state’s demand for special status, despite its historical significance and substantial contribution to Nigeria’s economy.

Sanwo-Olu made the remarks while speaking at the Financial Times Africa Summit in London at the weekend, where he acknowledged the Federal Government’s support for Lagos but argued that the state deserved greater consideration because of its unique responsibilities and economic importance.

Asked whether President Bola Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, was doing enough for the state, Sanwo-Olu said discussions with the Federal Government were ongoing, adding that more support was needed.

“It’s an ongoing conversation. I cannot pretend that the current federal government is not helping out,” he said.

“So, the federal government is helping us. Lagos used to be the capital of the country and the administrative head until when Abuja came up. So, they are helping but it could be a bit more.”

The governor said Lagos had repeatedly pushed for special status but faced political resistance in Abuja.

“We have talked about Lagos being given a special status but constitutionally, the politicians in Abuja will never let that happen. So, we are having conversations,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu argued that Lagos deserved to be treated differently from other states because of its cosmopolitan nature and its role as a home to Nigerians from different ethnic backgrounds.

He acknowledged that securing special status would require political negotiations but expressed optimism that the Federal Government was listening to the state’s concerns.

The governor also called for a review of the distribution of value-added tax revenue, arguing that Lagos should receive greater consideration because of the substantial VAT revenue generated within the state.

“Also, a lot of the VAT that is distributed nationally gets collected from Lagos. We are having some discussions about ensuring that Lagos still continues to earn more on value added taxation,” he said.

On infrastructure, Sanwo-Olu cited the Lagos section of the coastal road and the proposed Sokoto-Badagry superhighway as examples of Federal Government projects expected to benefit the state.

He said the 70-kilometre Lagos section of the coastal road was largely completed, describing the project as a major development that would improve connectivity between Lagos and other parts of the country.

Sanwo-Olu also highlighted the potential economic benefits of the proposed Sokoto-Badagry superhighway, particularly its planned network of 250 dams, which he said would support irrigation and agricultural production and increase food supplies to Lagos.

The governor further identified electricity sector reforms introduced under Tinubu’s administration as an important development, noting that they had created opportunities for states to participate more actively in power generation and distribution.

He said Lagos had established its electricity regulatory commission and signed about 22 public-private partnership agreements aimed at increasing the state’s power generation capacity by 2,000 megawatts within three years.

On security, Sanwo-Olu said discussions on state policing were continuing, expressing hope that a constitutional amendment would enable states to play a greater role in policing and security management.

He said the proposed reform would strengthen public safety and help create a more conducive environment for economic growth.