A former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu built modern Lagos, attributing the development of Nigeria’s economic capital to federal government efforts. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Lamido criticised Tinubu’s supporters for overstating his achievements as governor from 1999 to 2007.
“Lagos was built with Nigerian money—I mean the port, the airport, the bridges. So, when you say Tinubu built Lagos; he never built Lagos,” Lamido asserted during the Monday broadcast. He emphasised that Lagos, being the former capital of Nigeria, benefited significantly from federal investments.
Lamido, a member of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), expressed his scepticism about Tinubu’s capabilities, saying, “I know him very well and I know his capacity, I know what he can do; I know what he cannot do.”
Since assuming the presidency in May 2023, Tinubu’s administration has introduced several reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira. However, these policies have led to a tripling of petrol prices, increased living costs, and inflation rates soaring to 33.6 per cent in April 2024.
“The government is doing almost everything wrong,” Lamido remarked, criticising the current administration’s approach. He particularly questioned the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project, arguing that with prudent resource management, Nigeria could afford to meet the new minimum wage demands from labour leaders.
“There is money in Nigeria. If they do it [Lagos-Calabar coastal road], they can pay any minimum wage,” he insisted, rating the Tinubu government poorly despite calls for patience from the administration.
