Governors from Southwest States on met in Lagos and condemned “in strong terms the group of people agitating for Yoruba nation.”
This followed the recent invasion of the Oyo State secretariat by some alleged secessionists.
They also elected Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the new chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum.
Sanwo-Olu replaced ing Rotimi Akeredolu, the former Governor of Ondo State, who died in December, 2023, and buried in February.
He was elected by his colleague-governors during the meeting held at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Monday.
Apart from Sanwo-Olu, five other Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun) and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti) attended the meeting at the Lagos House, Ikeja.
After the closed-door meeting which lasted for about five hours, the forum released communiques on the governors’ resolution on some national and regional issues.
The Forum explained that Sanwo-Olu was “unanimously nominated and adopted the as its Chairman.”
The governors also paid last respects to Akeredolu and also congratulated the new Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, also for winning the All Progressives Congress’s (APC’s) Governorship ticket for the next election.
The Governors also adopted “Ise wa fun ile wa as South West Anthem.”
On Minimum Wage, the forum said it supported 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 said.