Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu
by OLA MODUPE , Lagos-
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on the National Assembly to grant the state special status and recognize its 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the constitution.
Sanwo-Olu made the plea at the South-West Zonal Public Hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution in Lagos.
Be Fair to Lagos
The governor, represented by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, argued that Lagos, despite carrying the burden of many other states, does not enjoy special status.
He stated, “As a nation, we cannot and we should not continue to deceive ourselves. We must be guided by the principle of inclusiveness, equity, and justice.”
Sanwo-Olu emphasized that recognizing the 37 LCDAs would be a step towards fairness, saying, “Can S/he have a child that is 25 years old and without giving them a birth certificate?”
The governor also highlighted the need for genuine federalism, devolution of powers, state police, electoral and judicial reforms, and special seats for women.
He stressed that state policing is not just about semantics but about protecting the people, saying, “Just for the simplicity of it, state policing is not about semantics, it is about protection of the people. So, let us have it.”
Other stakeholders, including former Deputy Governor Prince Abiodun Ogunleye and the Adegboruwa of Igbogbo Kingdom, Oba Semiu Kasali, corroborated Sanwo-Olu’s call, emphasizing that Lagos has satisfied all conditions to have its 37 LCDAs recognized in the constitution.
