Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Nigeria has been elected as the new chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum (SGF), succeeding the late Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu.
The election took place during a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta, attended by 16 of the 17 governors from Nigeria’s South-West, South-South, and South-East regions. The governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, was notably absent.
The forum, which had not convened for nearly three years, also elected Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, as Vice Chairman.
Governor Abiodun, while addressing the press after the meeting, expressed his gratitude and commitment to his new role. “It is indeed an honour, and a humble one at that, that I have been nominated to lead the Southern Governors’ Forum, along with Professor Charles Soludo, the Governor of Anambra State, as the Vice Chairman of this forum,” he said.
He also acknowledged the significance of the governors’ attendance and the collective commitment to the Southern states’ development. “I first want to thank all the governors, the 17 governors, for coming to Abeokuta today for this meeting, the first meeting after about three years. It underscores the commitment and determination to ensure that the Southern States occupy their pride of place,” Abiodun noted.
Abiodun pledged to justify the confidence reposed in him and Soludo, stating, “I also want to thank them for this confidence reposed in myself and Professor Soludo and pledge that we would ensure that this confidence is justified.”
He concluded by announcing that further details of the meeting’s outcomes would be shared. “We have discussed a whole range of issues, but because of time constraints, myself and Governor Soludo will make available to you pressmen the details of our communique that reflect our aspirations, our determination, and the new and repositioned Southern Governors’ Forum.”
The Southern Governors’ Forum serves as a collective body for the 17 governors from the South-West, South-South, and South-East geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Governor Abiodun and Vice Chairman Soludo are expected to address key regional issues and foster greater cooperation among the Southern states.
