The South West Governors have expressed their unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, issuing a vote of confidence in recognition of the reforms the federal government is undertaking to reposition the country. This recognition stems from the economic stability resulting from the President’s efforts, including the sustained supply and distribution of petroleum products and the stabilization of the exchange rate.
The vote of confidence came as part of the 11-point communique issued following a meeting of the South West Governors’ Forum held in Lagos on Thursday. The meeting, chaired by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, included Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Biodun Oyebaniji (Ekiti), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), and Ademola Adeleke (Osun).
Governor Sanwo-Olu, while reading the communique, highlighted the Forum’s appreciation of President Tinubu’s efforts in stabilizing the economy and said: “The Forum commends President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the economic stability and improvements recorded across the nation, particularly in the sustained supply and distribution of petroleum products and the stabilisation of the exchange rate.”
The Forum also expressed its praise for the successful implementation of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which has directly benefited students in tertiary institutions in the South West region. Sanwo-Olu further added: “The Forum applauds the Federal Government for the successful implementation of the Student Loan Scheme under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which has benefited South West students in tertiary institutions. It encourages all eligible students in the region to take full advantage of this initiative to access higher education, vocational training, and skills acquisition programmes.”
In addition to recognizing President Tinubu’s economic efforts, the Forum tackled the growing security challenges in the region. They resolved to establish a Joint Surveillance and Monitoring Team to enhance security coordination in response to the threat posed by the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) and other criminal groups.
The communique read, “The Forum acknowledges the threat posed by ISWAP activities in parts of the South West, the Forum strongly condemns any threat to the region’s security.”
In line with the security initiative, the Governors emphasized the need for collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and local security outfits to remain vigilant, ensuring a robust response to any threats. The Forum also committed to deploying advanced technology, including surveillance systems, and improving intelligence sharing between state security agencies and federal law enforcement.
Furthermore, the South West Governors discussed efforts to combat food inflation in the region, caused by unscrupulous middlemen. The Forum resolved to establish a State Food Inflation Joint Monitoring Team to address price inflation and artificial scarcity caused by these middlemen.
Sanwo-Olu said: “The Forum expresses concern over the activities of unscrupulous middlemen who deliberately inflate prices of goods and commodities in South West markets. It has, therefore, agreed to establish a State Food Inflation Joint Monitoring Team and also the establishment of Aggregation Centre and Food Hubs to foster inter-state collaboration and mitigate food inflation.”
The Governors also welcomed the creation of the South West Development Commission (SWDC) and chose Cocoa House in Ibadan, Oyo State, as its operational headquarters. They expressed confidence in Odu’a Investment Company Limited’s management of joint assets over the past five years, and commended the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission for its improved performance.
The Forum urged the DAWN Commission to strengthen its relationship with the region’s Commissioners for Agriculture to boost industrialization and infrastructural development across South West Nigeria.
In conclusion, the South West Governors emphasized their commitment to ensuring peace, security, and sustainable economic growth within the region, while continuing to support the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms.
