Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has been elected as the new Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum. The election took place on Monday, with Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, emerging as the Vice Chairman.
The Southern Governors’ Forum is the umbrella body for the 17 governors from Nigeria’s South-West, South-South, and South-East geopolitical zones. Governor Abiodun succeeds the late Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, the former governor of Ondo State, who passed away in December last year.
The meeting in which the elections took place saw the attendance of 16 governors. Notable attendees included Dapo Abiodun (Ogun State), Godwin Obaseki (Edo State), Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Alex Otti (Abia State), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos State), Ademola Adeleke (Osun State), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi State), Peter Mbah (Enugu State), Douye Diri (Bayelsa State), and Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom State). Additional participants were Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti State), Bassey Otu (Cross River State), Charles Soludo (Anambra State), and the deputy governors of Imo, Delta, and Ondo States: Chinyere Ekomaru, Monday Onyeme, and Olayide Adelami, respectively. Rivers State Governor, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara, was notably absent.
The governors convened a closed-door meeting lasting approximately five hours at the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State.
Following the meeting, Governor Abiodun addressed the press, expressing his gratitude for being chosen as the next Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum. He described his election, along with that of Professor Soludo as Vice Chairman, as a significant honor that motivates him to continue contributing to national development.
“I first want to thank all the Governors, the 17 Governors, for coming to Abeokuta today for this first meeting after about three years. It underscores the commitment and the determination to ensure that the Southern States are occupied by their pride of place,” Abiodun said.
He further pledged to justify the confidence reposed in him and Professor Soludo, stating, “We have discussed a whole range of issues, but due to time constraints, Governor Soludo and I will be available to brief the press on the details of our communique, which reflects our aspirations, determination, and the new and repositioned Southern Governors’ Forum.”
