S’West Governors Appoint Sanwo-Olu As Forum Chair, Condemn Agitation For Yoruba Nation
By BENJAMIN OMOIKE
LAGOS, Nigeria – The South West Governors Forum has announced Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as its new Chairman. This followed the death of the former leader of the Forum and Governor of Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu eight months ago. Briefing newsmen at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, after over four hours of meeting behind closed doors, Governor Sanwo-Olu, who read the communique, said the decision was a unanimous one by the six Governors present. According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, the South West Governors Forum also adopted “Ise Wa Fun Ile Wa” as its anthem, with an assurance that the new minimum wage to be announced by the Federal government will reflect true federalism. While restating the commitment of the South West Governors Forum to State Police, the Lagos State Governor urged President Bola Tinubu to expedite action on rehabilitation of all federal roads across the country. He said the Forum commended the House of Representatives on the South West Development Commission bill to strengthen economic growth and food security among States and advocated speedy passage of the legislation. Those in attendance are Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo, Prince Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Ademola Adeleke of Osun and Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti. Communique issued at the end of the South West Governors’ Forum, held on Monday, June 10, 2024, at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. The South West Governors’ Forum at its meeting of today, Monday, 10th June, 2024 held in the Governor’s Office, Lagos House Alausa, Ikeja Lagos State deliberated extensively on the state of the South West States and further resolved as follows: • The Forum unanimously nominated and adopted the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu as its Chairman. • The Forum paid its last respects to its late Chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi O. Akeredolu, SAN, CON, and also congratulated the new Governor of Ondo State, H.E Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, also for winning the All Progressives Congress’s (APC’s) Governorship ticket for the next election. • The Governors adopted Ise wa fun ile wa as South West Anthem. • The meeting commends the House of Representatives and South West Caucus for their efforts at passing the South West Development Commission Bill and looks forward to its speedy passage by the Senate. • The meeting commends Mr. President, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR on the groundbreaking of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, the proposed Lagos to Sokoto road and encourages the Federal Government to rehabilitate other Federal roads in the region. • On security, the Forum commends the relative peace in the South West region and notes the collaboration between all security agencies and the Amotekun Corps. It reaffirms its full support for State Police. • On Food Security, the Forum acknowledges the efforts of the Federal Government and decides that the Honourable Commissioners for Agriculture of all the States should begin to meet and set up a working template, which will ensure collaboration based on each State’s comparative advantage. • On Minimum Wage, the Forum supports the efforts of the Federal Government, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the Organised Private Sector on their ongoing conversations with the Labour Union. We believe the outcome will reflect true fiscal federalism. • The Forum also encourages Federal Government’s efforts on mineral resources exploitation. There should be further collaboration between the Federal Government and States, especially in granting leases to investors. • The Forum condemns in strong terms the group of people agitating for Yoruba nation. • The Forum agrees to strengthen the DAWN Commission on operational efficiency and charges the Commission to focus on economic integration, cooperation and investment promotion of South West States. To that end, each State is mandated to appoint a State focal person. In attendance at the meeting were Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Governor, Lagos State; Engr. Seyi A. Makinde, Governor, Oyo State; Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke, Governor, Osun State; Hon. Lucky Orimisan AiyedatiwaGovernor, Ondo State; Prince Dr. Dapo O. Abiodun, MFR, CON, Governor, Ogun State; and Mr. Biodun A. Oyebanji, Governor, Ekiti State.
