Five media houses to host Lagos governorship debate on November 8
- The Nigeria Debate Consortium will hold its first 2027 election debate in Lagos on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
- Governorship candidates will face questions on transport, security, housing, education, healthcare and jobs.
- The debate starts at 7pm at The Hub by IALA in Lekki and will be broadcast nationwide.
Lagos residents will get an early look at the people hoping to govern their state in 2027. A group of five media organisations says it will host a governorship debate in Lekki on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
The event is the first in a series planned for states expected to be hotly contested in the 2027 general elections. It is being organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium, made up of Channels Television, TVC News, Punch, TheCable and Vanguard.
The debate will hold at The Hub by IALA, House of His Glory, Plot 18, Providence Road, beside Keystone Bank, Marwa, Lekki. It starts at 7pm.
What candidates will face
According to the consortium, candidates from different parties will be asked to explain their plans and defend their records. The questions will cover transport, roads and infrastructure, security, housing, education, healthcare, job creation and economic growth.
The organisers said every candidate will get the same rules, the same speaking time and the same standard of moderation. Experienced journalists will moderate, and the consortium said fairness, neutrality and editorial independence will guide the exercise.
Channels Television said voters need more than campaign promises. It said the debate will let residents weigh candidates' plans and judge how convincingly they can deliver.
TVC News said the platform will push candidates past political talk and towards the substance of their plans for Lagos.
The debate will be shown on the participating stations and their digital platforms, so Nigerians outside Lagos can follow it.
The consortium urged Lagos residents to take part, especially registered voters, young people, civil society groups, professional bodies and the business community.
Some of those expected to feature have already spoken publicly about their priorities. Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, the APC candidate, has said he would deepen infrastructure, push for state police, and tackle flooding, housing and waste management. The ADC's Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has promised affordable housing and a way for residents to report intimidation by police or thugs. Funso Doherty of the Nigeria Democratic Congress has said education and healthcare would be free within his first 100 days if elected.
The consortium said the series will end with a presidential debate and town hall.
What happens next
For an ordinary Lagosian, the debate is a chance to hear directly from the people asking for their votes, rather than through adverts or rallies. With transport, rent, security and jobs among the issues listed, the answers given on November 8 will be a test of how ready each candidate is to govern.
