L-R: South West Governors: Mr. Gboyega Oyetola (Osun State); Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos State); Chairman, Arakurin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN (Ondo State); Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti State); Prince Dapo Abiodun (Ogun State) and Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Mr. Rauf Olaniyan during the South West Governors’ forum at the Lagos House, Marina, on Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Members of Southwest Governors Forum, on Tuesday, met in Lagos State to discuss issues of interest to the region.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu hosted his colleagues at the State House.
Five Governors of member States were present at the meeting, which started at 4:30pm and held behind closed doors. Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, was represented by his deputy, Mr. Rauf Olaniyan.
After 90 minutes, the Governors rose from the meeting and offered no detailed information on matters discussed.
Addressing journalists, chairman of the Forum and Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, gave a brief statement on their discussion, disclosing that part of their deliberations bordered on security situation in the region.
Akeredolu revealed there was also discussion on Oodua Group, a company owned by all six Southwest States, but declined to give further details. He pointed out that the Forum was not willing to share full information on the meeting.
He said: “We, the six Governors of the Southwest under the Southwest Governors’ Forum met today. We deliberated on a number of common and personal issues. We also deliberated on our common heritage, which is the Oodua Group of Companies.
“At the end, we agreed on a few things; a number of them, which have to do with security, are not what we can discuss in the open. This short address is just to let you (pressmen) know we met today but we don’t want our decisions discussed in the open.”
The Governors departed the Lagos House, Marina after the short briefing and made a dash for the Bourdillon home of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Akeredolu told newsmen: “We held the Southwest Governors’ Forum meeting.
“After the meeting, we deemed it fit to come over and visit our leader who has returned home successfully and who is hale and hearty.
“We have come to show our love for him and thank God on his behalf.
“He has been receiving visitors here. This place has turned into Mecca. We are here as part of the pilgrims.
“The National Leader of APC remains one. Most of us in the Southwest believe in his leadership and it shows that he’s doing his best to lead us.
“He is not only the leader of the Southwest but also the National leader of the APC in Nigeria.
“But we in the Southwest first lay claim to him as our leader,” Governor Akeredolu said.