BY NGOZI ONYEAKUSI

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called for a peaceful and credible 2027 general election, saying the country’s economic reforms, security situation and democratic stability will be central to determining Nigeria’s future.

Sanwo-Olu spoke while delivering a lecture at the Freedom Online 7th Yearly Lecture held at Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Ikeja, on the theme: “2027 Elections: Economy, Security and Nigeria’s Future.”

The governor, who is serving his second and final term in office, said the 2027 election would be the eighth consecutive general election since 1999, describing Nigeria’s uninterrupted democratic experience as an achievement that must be protected.

He noted that the current democratic era had lasted longer than the First and Second Republics combined, stressing that Nigeria had become an important democratic anchor in West Africa at a time when military coups had returned to several countries in the region.

“None of it came free. This democracy was paid for by people who were detained, exiled and, in some cases, killed for it,” Sanwo-Olu said, urging Nigerians to approach the 2027 elections with the seriousness they deserved.

Economy: Sanwo-Olu defends Tinubu’s reforms

The governor strongly defended the economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, arguing that although the policy had imposed hardship on Nigerians, its long-term impact was beginning to emerge.

He said the subsidy had become a major drain on the nation’s finances, with resources meant for infrastructure and social services being lost through the system.

“I will not stand here and tell you that it has been painless. It has not,” he said, acknowledging the impact of rising costs on households.

“But the measure of a reform is not whether it hurts. It is whether it heals.”
Sanwo-Olu cited recent economic indicators, including second-quarter economic growth, rising external reserves, lower inflation, improved credit ratings and increased remittances, as evidence that the economy was responding positively to the reforms.

He said Nigeria’s economy grew by 4.43 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, compared with 3.89 per cent in the first quarter and 4.23 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2025.

He also noted that agriculture and services recorded growth during the period, while the country’s external reserves had risen to about $53 billion.
According to him, Nigerians abroad sent $947 million through formal channels in July, describing the figure as the highest monthly remittance inflow recorded in the country’s history.

“These are not my numbers. They belong to the National Bureau of Statistics and the Central Bank of Nigeria, and every journalist in this hall can check them. I invite you to,” he said.

Insecurity threatens 2027 polls
On security, Sanwo-Olu warned that insecurity could affect the ability of candidates to campaign freely, the movement of electoral personnel and materials, and voters’ willingness to participate in the election.

He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to begin preparations early to guarantee a safe electoral process.

The governor, however, praised the Tinubu administration’s security measures, including the expansion of the Nigerian Army, the creation of new security structures and increased cooperation with international partners.
He also advocated the completion of the process for establishing state police, describing it as one of the most consequential reforms Nigeria could undertake.

Drawing from Lagos’ experience, Sanwo-Olu said the state had demonstrated the value of bringing security closer to communities through initiatives such as the Lagos State Security Trust Fund and the Neighborhood Safety Corps.

“The lesson of two decades is not complicated. Security works best when the people who pay for it and the people who depend on it can see, and hold to account, the people who provide it,” he said.

Economy and security are interconnected

Sanwo-Olu said economic development and security could not be treated as separate issues because poverty could fuel insecurity while insecurity could undermine economic growth.

“When a farmer cannot go to his farm, the nation gets hungrier. When a school is not safe, the country gets another cohort of children who never learned to read,” he said.

According to him, creating jobs and providing opportunities for young Nigerians would be among the most effective ways of tackling insecurity.
He highlighted several Federal Government initiatives targeted at young people, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, Consumer Credit Corporation, 3 Million Technical Talent programme, Student Venture Capital Grant and reforms to the National Youth Service Corps.

He described Nigeria’s large youth population as either “the greatest dividend in our history or the greatest danger to it,” depending on what the country does over the next decade.

Sanwo-Olu demands credible elections
The governor stressed that economic progress and security gains would mean little if the 2027 elections were not credible.

He commended improvements in Nigeria’s electoral system, including the Electoral Act and the deployment of technology in voter accreditation and results transmission.

He also cited the August 15 Osun State governorship election, in which the APC candidate lost to the incumbent, Governor Ademola Adeleke, as an example of what he described as the Tinubu administration’s commitment to democratic competition.

Sanwo-Olu said President Tinubu congratulated Adeleke after the election and thanked INEC and the security agencies for the conduct of the poll.

“A mandate is only as strong as the process that produced it. No office in this land is worth the life of a single Nigerian, and no victory won by the wrong means is a victory at all,” he said.

Governors have major role in 2027
The Lagos governor also said the 36 state governors and the Federal Capital Territory would play a significant role in determining the outcome of the 2027 election.

He urged governors to focus on delivering tangible benefits to citizens, arguing that voters would assess their performance based on roads, healthcare, education and other services.

“Voters may not be economists, but they are excellent accountants. They know whether their State built the road it promised. They know whether the primary health centre has a nurse in it. They will bring that ledger with them to the polling unit,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu noted that state and local government allocations had increased significantly since the removal of the fuel subsidy, adding that governors must demonstrate how the additional resources were being utilised.

Calls for responsible journalism

The governor also challenged journalists to play a critical role in protecting Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 election.

He urged the media to fact-check claims from all political parties, including the APC, and to expose disinformation and manipulated content.

“I am not asking for a compliant press. A compliant press is of no use to a democracy; it flatters the powerful and abandons the public,” he said.

“I am asking for a rigorous press. Check the facts, mine included. Call out disinformation wherever it comes from, including from my own side.”

He further urged the media to give greater attention to women and young people participating in politics, while also reporting positive developments alongside the country’s challenges.
‘Let 2027 be the election Nigeria came of age’

Sanwo-Olu said the outcome of the 2027 election would not, by itself, determine Nigeria’s future. Rather, he said, the country’s future would depend on what leaders and citizens do with the mandate produced by the election.

He identified the completion of economic reforms, establishment of state policing, harnessing Nigeria’s youthful population and achieving the Federal Government’s $1 trillion economic target as some of the major tasks ahead.

“Our elders say that one hand cannot lift a load onto the head. The Federal Government has a part. The States have a part. INEC has a part. And you, the fourth estate, have a part that no one else can play,” he said.

“Let us lift this load together, and let 2027 be remembered not as the election Nigeria survived, but as the election at which Nigeria came of age.”
Sanwo-Olu said he expected the APC to win the 2027 elections and President

Tinubu to secure a second term, but stressed that whatever the outcome, the election must be peaceful and credible.

“I expect the election to be peaceful, I expect the loser to concede, and I expect Nigeria to add one more milestone to its record,” he said.