Lagos assures of peaceful elections in 2027

Lagos State government has dismissed insinuations that it is orchestrating plans to intimidate non-indigenes ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing such claims as the figment of the imagination of those spreading the rumour.
 
The state also appealed to all citizens, both indigenes and non-indigenes, stressing that waste management requires the cooperation of all. It noted that a clean and safe environment demands that residents pay the stipulated fees for refuse evacuation instead of engaging in underhand practices, especially dumping refuse in unauthorized places, including drainage channels, lagoons and other prohibited areas.
 
Addressing journalists during an interactive session organised by the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, Afolabi Abiodun Tajudeen, and the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, said those peddling rumours of violence against specific ethnic groups in the 2027 elections should be ignored.
 
Tajudeen assured that Lagos is stable and would not place pressure on any ethnic group, advising those allegedly leaving the state for fear of intimidation ahead of the 2027 elections to stay and continue their businesses.
On the menace of hoodlums across the state, Tajudeen said the problem had become a recurring challenge, pointing to the influx of people into the state daily without any clear purpose and subsequently being a nuisance. He said efforts are on to address the challenge of street urchins.
 
Omotosho, on his part, said there was no ethnic coloration to the several demolitions in the state and that they were never done out of wickedness or hatred.
 
He also dismissed attempts to attach ethnic meaning to the demolition of some markets, noting that whenever markets predominantly occupied by Southwest traders are pulled down, there is little outcry, but when the reverse happens, social media is flooded with critical comments.
 
Omotosho warned against reading ethnicity into government policies. He disclosed that the state is facing challenges with refuse management because all the dumpsites in Lagos are already filled up, yet the state continues to generate over 6,000 tonnes of refuse daily.
 
Beyond sanitation and urban regulation, Tajudeen and Omotosho highlighted improvements recorded in other critical sectors. In health, the state government has continued to upgrade primary healthcare centres across the 57 local councils and local council development areas, expand access to emergency services, and invest in modern medical facilities to reduce pressure on tertiary institutions. They noted ongoing efforts to strengthen maternal and child healthcare, improve health insurance coverage, and enhance disease surveillance systems.
 
In the education sector, the government said it is investing in the rehabilitation and construction of public schools, recruitment and training of teachers, and the provision of digital learning tools to improve learning outcomes.
 
On security, they cited investments in patrol vehicles, communication equipment, and surveillance infrastructure, including support for community-based security initiatives.