Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has been elected as the new Chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum.
The election took place during a meeting at the Lagos House in Ikeja, Lagos State, attended by the governors from the southwestern states.
The six governors unanimously elected Sanwo-Olu to represent the collective interests of the South West region.
The meeting included Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), who convened for their zonal discussions.
This meeting marks a significant transition, as the leadership of the forum has been vacant since the death of former Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu nearly four months ago.
Akeredolu, the previous chairman, was instrumental in establishing and maintaining Amotekun, a regional security outfit serving the Southwest states.
Governor Sanwo-Olu’s election as the chairman positions him to continue and expand upon the collaborative efforts and initiatives established by his predecessor, particularly in areas of regional security and development.
The closed-door meeting, which began around noon at Sanwo-Olu’s office, signifies the commitment of the Southwest governors to unify their strategies and address common challenges facing their states.