No government can control Lagos landlords – PDP’s Deji Doherty

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Adedeji Doherty, has said that no government can control private landlords, proposing instead that the state should rent houses from property owners and sublet them to residents.

Doherty made the statement on Sunday night during the Lagos Governorship Debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium in Lekki.

Asked to explain his strategy for tackling the state’s housing affordability crisis, the PDP candidate argued that government could not dictate how private landlords managed their properties.

“There is no government that can control a landlord. What we are going to do is we are going to rent those houses ourselves, and you can now come to rent them from us if you want to,” he said.

His proposal would involve the government taking up rented properties and subsequently making them available to residents, rather than relying solely on direct intervention in privately owned accommodation.

Doherty also dismissed the feasibility of constructing 150,000 housing units within four years, citing the high cost of construction and the difficulty of controlling building material prices.

“There is no way I am going to build 150,000 houses in four years because they are going to be expensive, and I don’t have control over the materials that you are going to use to build these houses. I don’t have control over the price,” he declared.

The 150,000-unit housing target is a major campaign commitment of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate, Funso Doherty, who has proposed building affordable homes during his first four years in office.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the PDP candidate identified Lagos State’s debt burden, what he described as over-bloated ministries, departments and agencies, and the lack of local government autonomy as factors contributing to the difficulties facing residents despite the state’s considerable wealth.

He also emphasised the importance of electricity to economic development.

“Power is wealth, and Lagos State needs power,” he said.

The PDP candidate promised to pursue policies that would provide immediate financial relief to residents if elected governor.

“On my first day, I am going to make sure that you get some money put back into your pocket,” he declared.

Doherty is contesting the February 6, 2027, Lagos governorship election against candidates including incumbent Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat of the All Progressives Congress, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the African Democratic Congress and Funso Doherty of the NDC.

The debate provided an opportunity for the candidates to explain their plans for addressing housing, transportation, economic development and other challenges confronting Lagosians.