Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday, charged the new local government chairmen and vice chairmen on the importance of grassroots development.
The governor said this during the swearing-in of the newly elected chairmen and vice chairmen of the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas of the state at Lagos House, Ikeja.
The council chairmen and councillors emerged following the July 12, 2025, local government elections held in the state.
“Don’t let politics distract you. The time for securing votes is over. There is no room for vendetta, no room for pettiness. I expect you to collaborate with everyone in your council and community,” the governor said.
“Let me challenge you by giving you the areas where we believe you will do well. Under grassroots development, you are now the chairman of the office of the people in the tier of government that is closest to them.
“Every road you fix, every child you help to stay in school, every water or borehole that you commission, every youth you empower is part of your legacy. Lagos is counting on you to bring development to every street, every ward and every community,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He said the people want better roads, safer streets, and functional healthcare facilities.
“They want thriving primary schools, affordable markets, environmental sanitation, youth engagement, and community security. These are not abstracts but daily necessities of life,” he added.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Bolaji Robert, congratulated the council chairmen on their emergence.
“Your victories at the polls are a testament to your grassroots appeal and the confidence the people have reposed in you.
“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,” he said.
Robert appreciated the governor for his “commitment to democracy at the grassroots.
“Through his leadership, all necessary mechanisms were put in place to ensure a peaceful, transparent, and credible local government election;
“And, by extension, we recognise and commend the father of modern democracy in Nigeria, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for laying the visionary foundation that continues to guide the growth of democratic institutions in our dear State and nation.”
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