The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for governor of Lagos State, Adedeji Doherty, told voters on Sunday that reliable electricity is the key to unlocking the state's economic potential, declaring: "Power is wealth, and Lagos State needs power."

Doherty made the remarks in his opening statement at the 2026 Lagos Governorship Debate, organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium and held on Sunday, 8 November 2026, at The Hub by IALA, House of His Glory, in Lekki, Lagos. The debate, which began at 7pm, is the first in a series of engagements the consortium plans to hold in battleground states ahead of the 2027 general elections, culminating in a presidential debate and town hall.

The consortium brings together five leading Nigerian media organisations: Channels Television, TVC News, PUNCH, TheCable and Vanguard. Candidates were invited to outline their policy proposals, defend their positions and answer questions on issues affecting residents, including transport, infrastructure, security, housing, education, healthcare, job creation and economic growth.

Doherty said his proposed administration would put electricity and economic relief first. He promised measures that would put more money back into residents' pockets from his first day in office, and pointed to the burden that unreliable power places on artisans, small businesses and households across the state.

On housing, Doherty questioned the feasibility of one of the headline promises in the race: building 150,000 homes within four years. He argued that construction costs and the prices of building materials are largely beyond the direct control of the state government. "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 said.

The PDP candidate, whose running mate is Mrs Khadijat Bello, unveiled a 10-point agenda in October covering roads and transport, education, healthcare, housing, security, youth empowerment, water, power, economic enablement and inclusive governance. He has also pledged to make education and healthcare accessible free of charge within his first 100 days in office if elected.

Among the other leading contenders in the race are the Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress candidate, Obafemi Hamzat; African Democratic Congress candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who has promised 100,000 affordable housing units in his first term; and Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate Funso Doherty, who has pledged free education and healthcare in his first 100 days. Adedeji Doherty of the PDP and Funso Doherty of the NDC are two different people.

The debate gave voters their first chance to compare the candidates side by side on a shared stage, with electricity supply, the cost of living and realistic housing targets emerging as the central themes of the evening. The organisers said the initiative was designed to promote democratic participation and informed public discussion, giving voters the chance to scrutinise the candidates' programmes rather than rely on campaign promises alone.