• Says state not over-pampered, but over-burdened
• Bwala defends FG’s investment, says state is no-man’s land

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has called on the National Assembly to grant the state a special status, citing the state’s significant contributions to the nation’s economy and its unique role as a hub for commerce, culture, and continuity.

The party’s Spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, who made the appeal, yesterday, said that the call for a special status is rooted in logic, data, and national interest, and not partisan politics.

Oladejo described Lagos State as the engine room of the federation, built on vision, hard work, sacrifice, and inclusiveness.

He, however, noted the state’s contributions to the nation’s economy, including over 20 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), approximately 55 per cent of the nation’s Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue, 65 per cent of corporate headquarters, and 70 per cent of maritime imports and logistics activity.

Oladejo, who stated that the state is not over-pampered by the Federal Government, citing the state’s meager 3.48 per cent share of the federal allocation in 2024, despite generating over 55 per cent of VAT and more than a third of the country’s non-oil revenue, urged the National Assembly to rise above regional politics and partisan considerations and accord the state the special status it deserves, describing the state as a national asset, a federating hub, and a home to all Nigerians.

Meanwhile, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has described Lagos State as a “no-man’s land” and the pride of Nigeria’s economy.

Bwala, who spoke on the Daybreak programme on Arise Television, yesterday, said that the concentration of federal projects in Lagos State should not be seen as favouritism but as investment in the country’s commercial hub.

He said: “Let me tell you why Lagos State is different. Lagos State is a no-man’s land. In the last election, the President, who comes from the South-West, did not win Lagos. That tells you the cosmopolitan nature of the state.

“The richest man in Africa is a northerner. His business is not in Kano but in Lagos. Almost every rich man that you know in Nigeria has a business undertaking in Lagos, and the Nigerian people are represented in Lagos.

“If not, because probably the majority of the people are Yoruba speaking, you will wonder whether Lagos indeed is from the South-West.”

He insisted that the N3.9 trillion worth of federal projects reportedly allocated to Lagos in two years was justifiable, stressing that the state remains Nigeria’s hub of commerce and a beacon of economic growth.