Sanwo-Olu halts appointment of SLGs, Supervisory Councillors by chairmen
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has barred newly sworn-in council chairmen from appointing Secretaries to Local Governments (SLGs) and Supervisory Councillors until further notice, directing them instead to focus on community needs and effective grassroots governance.
The governor issued the directive on Sunday during the swearing-in ceremony of chairmen and vice-chairmen across the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) at the Lagos House Sports Ground, Ikeja.
Sanwo-Olu instructed the officials to take the next 30 to 60 days to familiarise themselves with the demands of their communities, warning that political patronage must not override public service. The delay in appointments, he noted, is to ensure transparency and eliminate entitlement politics.
He permitted them only to appoint Chiefs of Staff to aid coordination, adding that any future appointments would be announced by the state government at the appropriate time.
The governor emphasized that Lagos is operating under a new era of local government autonomy, now fully recognised by the Supreme Court. He warned that with direct access to council funds, the chairmen would also face direct accountability. “No excuses. No finger-pointing. The buck now stops with you,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu urged the council bosses to lead with compassion and integrity, stressing that their performance would be judged not by promises or rhetoric but by tangible improvements in roads, healthcare, education, sanitation, security, and youth engagement.
Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Bolaji Robert, praised the peaceful conduct of the elections and said the new chairmen have a duty to deepen grassroots governance and ensure service delivery.
Speaking on behalf of the council chiefs, Ibeju-Lekki Chairman Sesan Olowa, who was elected Chairman of Conference 57, pledged commitment to the values of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and promised impactful development across all wards and communities.
