Abiodun becomes Southern govs’ forum chair, Soludo, VP
24th June 2024 By Taiwo Bankole
The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun was on Monday elected as the new chairman of Southern Governors’ Forum.
The governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Soludo, emerged as the Vice Chairman of the forum.
The Southern Governors’ Forum serves as the umbrella body for the 17 governors from the South-West, South-South, and South-East geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
Abiodun is succeeding the former governor of Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, who died last year December.
16 governors were in attendance except the governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara.
The governors in attendance were Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Seyi Makinde, Oyo State, Alex Otii of Abia State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Ademola Adeleke of Osun state, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi state, Enugu’s Peter Mbah, Bayelsa’s Douye Diri and Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State.
Others include Ekiti State’s Biodun Oyebanji, Cross River’s Bassey Otu, Anambra’s Charles Soludo, Imo State deputy governor, Chinyere Ekomaru, Delta State deputy governor, Monday Onyeme, and Ondo State deputy governor, Olayide Adelami.
The governors held a closed-door meeting that lasted about five hours at the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Abiodun, while briefing newsmen after the meeting, described his choice as the next Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum alongside Prof Soludo as an honour he would forever appreciate and, of course, encourage him to continue to contribute to national development.
He said, “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.
“I also want to thank them for this confidence, so I reposed in myself and Professor Soludo and pledged that we would ensure this confidence was justified.
“We have discussed a whole ranging number of issues but because of time constraints, myself and Governor Soludo will available to you pressmen the details of our communique that reflects our aspirations, our determination and the new and repositioned Southern Governors’ Forum.”
BREAKING: Governor Soludo emerges as Vice Chairman of the Southern Governors' Forum. The meeting held today in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, was attended by all Southern Governors from the South West, South-South, and South East regions.
GOVERNORS FORUM Governor Dapo Abiodun Of Ogun state emerges as chairman of the southern governors forum while Anambra state Governor, Charles Soludo is the Vice Chairman
Welcoming some of the Governors attending the Southern Governors Forum meeting hosted by His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun CON. @DapoAbiodunCON #OgunState #SouthernGovernorsForum
naptu2: The first meeting of the southern governors in the 4th Republic was held in Lagos in October 2000. The Southern Governors Summit was used to coordinate the fight for resource control and more importantly, the fight against the onshore/offshore dichotomy. It was also used to demand for devolution of powers (state police, etc.).
Offshore/Onshore Dichotomy.
The 1999 constitution stated that a percentage of mineral revenue that was derived from a state should be given to that state. It also stated that the National Assembly should meet to determine what the percentage would be, but it must not be less than 13%.
The Federal Government led by President Olusegun Obasanjo paid the states 13% of the revenue derived from minerals in their states. This was because the National Assembly did not set any percentage, so the Federal Government simply used the percentage that was mentioned in the constitution.
However, there was a problem.
The Federal Government stated that any mineral (that is, crude oil) that was found in the ocean, off the continental shelf of a state, belonged to the Federal Government and it would not pay any derivation funds to any state for it.
The states argued that they must have a share of the revenue from such minerals, regardless of the fact that they are in the ocean.
The battle was waged in the National Assembly and in the courts. State governments sued the Federal Government. The state governors were meeting to coordinate their strategy, but then there was a division. A few northern state governments took the side of the Federal Government and so the Southern governors then decided to coordinate their strategy through the Southern Governors Forum.
Politics crept in ahead of the 2007 elections and the Southern Governors Forum did not meet between 2005 and 2017. Their wives continued to hold meetings, but the Southern Governors Forum did not meet.
Until recently, the host governor usually acted as chairman and spokesman of the forum.
Flash: Lagos State Governor @jidesanwoolu arrives Abeokuta, Ogun State for the Southern Governors Forum meeting hosted by the Ogun State Governor @DapoAbiodunCON.
I am presently in Abeokuta, Ogun State, for a meeting with fellow governors from the Southern Governors Forum to discuss issues impacting our region and Nigeria as a whole.
The Southern Governors Forum serves as the collective body for the 17 governors from the South-West, South-South, and South-East geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
Sanwo-Olu, Makinde, others present as Southern Governors meeting holds in Ogun
24th June 2024 By Taiwo Bankole
Ten governors have arrived in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, for the Southern Governors’ Forum meeting.
The governors are meeting at the presidential Lodge, Ibara housing, Abeokuta, the state capital.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos and the Chairman of South West Governors’ Forum, led the pack of early callers at the meeting.
He was received by the host governor, Dapo Abiodun.
Other Governors who have arrived are Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Alex Otti (Abia), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Bassey Otu (Cross River).
Also on the ground are, Deputy Governors, Chinyere Ekomaru (Imo), Monday Onyeme (Delta) and Olayide Adelami (Ondo).
Governors from all the 17 Southern States are expected at the meeting.
The agenda of the convergence is not known yet, but the Southern Governors are meeting for the first time after the death of the late Rotimi Akeredolu, former Governor of Ondo State, who was the chairman of the forum until his demise.
The forum has not elected a new chairman after Akeredolu’s death in December 2023.
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Politics › Re: Dapo Abiodun Is Chairman Southern Governors Forum, Soludo Is Vice Chairman by naptu2(op): 7:38pm On Jun 24, 2024
