Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour vs Babajide Sanwo-Olu: Who’s Got a Better Plan?

The 2023 gubernatorial and state assembly elections are just a few days away. And just like the presidential election, the candidacy of Labour Party Lagos Guber Candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has gained momentum receiving large acceptance by a teeming population of young Nigerians.

His popularity, which was not envisioned by his All Progressive Candidate Counterpart, Babajide Sanwolu is closely connected to the performance of  Peter Obi, the Labor Party’s Presidential Candidate at the February 25th polls.

As the election day draws nearer, both candidates have intensified their campaigns and explained their manifesto to Lagosians as they plead for their votes. However, placing the plan of these political contenders side by side will help residents of Lagos decide who’s got a better plan for them. 

Gbadebo’s plan to increase the minimum wage 

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has promised to make the life of workers in the state better by increasing the minimum wage to N60,000. He also promised to ensure that the minimum wage in Lagos got to N100,000 as soon as possible. While his plan looks good and promising, Sanwolu had in October 2022 announced a salary increment plan for workers. Noting that inflation was biting hard on Nigerians, Sanwolu said, “We are going to review it. We’re going to ensure that we can indeed take care of our public service.”

Plan to pull down all toll gates in the Lekki Ajah axis 

Gbadebo also promised to pull down all toll gates in the Lekki Ajah axis and Ikoyi link bridge and build a monument in memory of our slain sons and daughters at the old Lekki Toll Gate.” On the flip side, Sanwolu believes that the tolling at the Lekki Ajah axis is one that has benefitted Lagosians. 

This is evident in his appeal to residents and stakeholders around Lekki and Ikoyi, to show understanding ahead of the concessions he agreed to last year.

Reports say the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge is estimated to generate about N10 million daily and N300 million per month, while the tollgate along the Lekki-Epe Expressway makes at least N16. 6 million every day and N500 million monthly. 

Employment of 10,000 teachers with outstanding grades 

The Labour Party Guber Candidate also promised to reposition teaching by employing 10,000 teachers with outstanding grades (First Class and Second Upper or Upper Credit). He also promised to, “Host an education summit with all stakeholders to get buy-in into his plan for partnerships to upscale public schools to the standards of the best private school. 

Sanwolu who is contesting for a second term based on his antecedents during his first tenure earlier launched the innovative and transformational EKOEXCEL (Excellence in Child Education and Learning) programme to provide quality education in the public system and upskill teachers by leveraging technology months after assuming office.

Newsmen reports that over 18,000 headteachers and teachers have been moved from analogue to digital teaching, using tablets and updated curricula under the scheme. They also noted that over 14,000 teachers from 1,012 public primary schools have been captured under the scheme.

Cancellation of Alpha Beta’s Contract 

Alpha Beta is a privately owned company which collects taxes on behalf of the government. It is allegedly linked to the former Governor of the State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and runs into billions of naira in expenditure.

Rhodes-Vivour also vowed to cancel Alpha Beta’s Contract which costs the state N5 billion monthly. He noted that he will use the savings from the cancellation of the Alpha Beta contract to set up a grand Loan Scheme for Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.

Sanwolu, on the other hand, has however not made any statement on the contract despite calls by Prominent Lagos Indigenes to terminate the protracted Alpha Beta Consulting (ABC) contract and cut down the cost of governance in the State.

Implement a rehabilitation and retraining programme for Agberos 

Gbadebo also hinted that he will execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with all Road Transport Unions for the implementation of a rehabilitation and retraining program that will take Agberos off the streets of Lagos. 

Sanwolu has however not made comments on taking Agberos who are constituting a nuisance in neighborhoods out of the streets. Reports say that most of them have the backing of the state government.

Lagosians will head to the polls to elect their new governor on Saturday. Will they allow Sanwolu to continue with his agenda or will they give Gbadebo’s promises a chance??