Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has been elected as the new chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, with Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, as his deputy.
The election took place during a meeting of the forum held at the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta, Ogun State, which was attended by 16 governors from the South-West, South-South, and South-East geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
Abiodun, who succeeds former Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, expressed his gratitude to the governors for the confidence reposed in him and promised to justify their trust.
“I want to thank all the Governors for coming to Abeokuta today for this first meeting after about three years. It underscores the commitment and determination to ensure that the Southern States occupy their pride of place,” Abiodun said.
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He added, “I also want to thank them for this confidence reposed in myself and Professor Soludo and pledged that we would ensure this confidence was justified.”
The governors held a closed-door meeting that lasted about five hours, discussing various issues affecting the region. Abiodun and Soludo promised to make the details of their communique available to the press, outlining their aspirations, determination, and the repositioning of the Southern Governors’ Forum.
The meeting was attended by governors from Ogun, Edo, Oyo, Abia, Lagos, Osun, Ebonyi, Enugu, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Ekiti, Cross River, Anambra, Imo, Delta, and Ondo states.