Sanwo-Olu swears in newly elected council chairmen and vice chairmen

By Kayode Olopade 

Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu officially swore in the 57 newly elected chairmen and vice chairmen across Lagos’ 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) during a ceremony on Sunday, 27 July 2025, at the Lagos House, Ikeja  .

The ceremony followed the July 12, 2025 local government elections, in which the All Progressives Congress (APC) won all chairmanship slots across the 57 councils and nearly all councilorship seats  .

The inauguration took place at the Sports Ground of Lagos House, attended by top state officials including Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, members of the Executive Council, traditional and religious leaders  .

Sanwo‑Olu described their emergence as a call to service and selfless leadership, highlighting that governance must reach every community and household in Lagos  .

He emphasized expectations for tangible development: better roads, functional health centres, thriving schools, modern markets, improved sanitation, youth engagement, community security—to be visible through action, not rhetoric  .

He called on them to implement the THEMES+ agenda—Transportation, Health, Education, Environment, Security, and Social Inclusion—at the grassroots via inclusive and equitable governance  .

With fiscal and administrative autonomy now reaffirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, council leaders must be transparent, accountable, and avoid misuse of resources. “The buck now stops with you” was his stern warning  .

He barred the newly sworn-in chairmen from immediately appointing secretaries or supervisors, instructing them first to settle in and familiarize themselves with communal needs—though they were allowed to hire chief of staff for coordination  .

Bolaji Kayode Robert, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs, and Rural Development, praised the credibility and peacefulness of the local polls, calling the new leaders “flagbearers of grassroots democracy”  .

Sesan Olowa, Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki LCDA and Chair of the newly installed 57 council conference, expressed gratitude and pledged commitment to the APC’s legacy, promising impactful governance across wards and communities  .