Urges refrain from appointment of Supervisory councilors, SLGs
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sunday officially swore in the newly elected Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of Lagos State, charging them to deliver good governance and uphold the trust reposed in them by their communities.
“May your time in office bring pride to your councils, peace to our state, and progress to our people.” the Governor said, while also urging them to await directives from the government and party leadership before making appointments, particularly of Supervisory Councillors and Secretaries to the Local Government.
The swearing-in ceremony, held at the Sports Pavilion Ground, Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja was attended by family members and supporters of the new council executives. The event also drew key figures from the political and traditional establishment, including leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), members of the State Executive Council, top government functionaries, members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), and traditional rulers.
The oath-taking began with the Vice Chairmen, followed by the Chairmen, marking the formal transition into office for the grassroots leaders following the recently concluded local government elections.
In his keynote address, Governor Sanwo-Olu described the event as a significant moment in the democratic history of Lagos, emphasizing that true democracy finds its expression in the day-to-day lives of the people.
“Today is a landmark in the democratic journey of Lagos State. It is a day when the will of the people finds expression in newly elected leadership at the grassroots”, he said, declaring that: “Your victory is not a trophy – it is a mandate, and it comes with weighty expectations.”
Sanwo-Olu commended the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) for conducting what he termed a peaceful, transparent, and credible election, adding that the professional conduct of the Commission reinforces confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
Speaking directly to the newly inaugurated Chairmen, the Governor charged them to understand the gravity of the trust placed in them.
“The people have placed in your hands not just votes but their dreams. Their expectations are clear: better roads, safer streets, functioning health centers, thriving schools, modern markets, environmental sanitation, youth engagement, and community security.”
He noted that the era of excuses is over, especially in the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent affirmation of fiscal and administrative autonomy for local governments.
“You now have direct access to your council’s funds. With this comes direct accountability. No excuses. No finger-pointing. The buck now stops with you,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The Governor urged the council bosses to align their development plans with the THEMES+ agenda of his administration, which emphasizes Transportation, Health, Education, Environment, Security, and Social Inclusion.
“You are not the Chairman of an office. You are the Chairman of a people. Let rural communities feel the presence of the government. Let our riverine and underserved areas know that they, too, are not forgotten,” he said.
He further advised the new executives to lead with three key principles: grassroots development, transparent governance, and accountability to the people.
“Let your administration be an open book. Publish your budgets. Account for your expenditures. Avoid secrecy. Avoid waste. Avoid mismanagement. Corruption does not just rob the government, it robs the people of hope. Governance Must Rise Above Pettiness” he said.
In a strong admonition, Sanwo-Olu called on the Chairmen to put post-election rancor behind them and focus on service delivery.
“The elections are over. The time for settling scores is gone. There is no room for vendetta. Governance must rise above pettiness,” he warned. “If we get it right at the local level, we will get it right across the state.”
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting the councils while holding them to high performance standards.
“Your success is our success. We will support you. We will work with you. But we will also hold you to the highest standards. There will be no tolerance for underperformance. Those who betray the people’s trust will be held accountable.
In closing, the Governor encouraged the Chairmen to embrace service over ambition, urging them to leave legacies built on lives touched rather than titles held.
“Let this swearing-in be remembered not as a ceremony, but as the beginning of a movement: a movement to take governance to every doorstep, to bring dignity to every citizen, and to build a Greater Lagos from the grassroots up,
“Lead with courage, with compassion, and with clarity of purpose. Be driven not by ambition, but by service.” Sanwo-Olu said.
Earlier, the Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Mr. Bolaji Kayode Robert, congratulated the new Chairmen and Vice Chairmen on their election, describing their emergence as “a testament to their grassroots appeal and the confidence the people have reposed in them.”
“The credibility of your emergence, anchored on transparency and broad-based support, is what has culminated in the swearing-in exercise we are gathered here to witness today,” Robert said.
He hailed Governor Sanwo-Olu for his unwavering commitment to grassroots democracy, and also acknowledged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as “the father of modern democracy in Nigeria” for laying the visionary foundation upon which Lagos continues to build strong local institutions.
The Commissioner called on the new Chairmen to reflect deeply on the enormous responsibility ahead and lead with vision and integrity.
Sunday’s event marked a formal handover of the grassroots leadership baton across Lagos State, reaffirming the Sanwo-Olu administration’s drive for decentralised governance, transparency, and service delivery.
With fiscal autonomy now the law of the land, and voter confidence clearly expressed at the polls, all eyes are on the 57 local councils to deliver development at the doorstep of the people.
