A great future awaits the Southern Governors Forum with Abiodun and Soludo

With the emergence of Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and Governor
Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State as the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Southern
Governors Forum (SGF), all the 17 southern governors are determined to work on
developmental projects that would elevate southern Nigeria and Nigeria by extension.
While Governors Abiodun and Soludo are widely celebrated for the impact they have
made in the infrastructural landscape of their respective states, many in the current class
of governors from the south - who are keen on making impact in terms of infrastructural
development - have also made significant impacts in their respective states in terms of
infrastructural development.

A few days ago, the 17 southern governors converged in Abeokuta in what could be
regarded as their first meeting in the last three years. In this 5-hour meeting held in the
Presidential Lodge at Abeokuta, the governors discussed many issues related to the
development of Nigeria.

The Southern Governors Forum was founded in 2000 ‘’to foster regional cooperation and
unity among the 17 southern states in Nigeria’’. In its early days, it took on issues related
to resource control, devolution of powers and the famous debate on the
onshore/offshore dichotomy.

But recently, many analysts have argued that it has had many low points. In 2021, after
southern governors mooted the idea of power shift to the south in its ‘’Asaba
Declaration’’, which was hosted by the then Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa,
the forum held another meeting in Lagos where it issued a clearer statement stating that
the next president of the country should come from southern Nigeria and that all major
political parties should field candidates from the south in the 2022 general elections as
the nation did in 1999. This, the forum argued, would ensure fairness and equity. The
statement was signed by Rotimi Akeredolu, the then governor of Ondo State. But
Senator Ifeanyi Okowa went on to become a running mate to a presidential aspirant from
the north in 2022. (This seemed not to be in line with the southern governors’ position).

In some occasions, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association has used very strong words
for the Southern Governors Forum. But this should not be the case because Nigeria will
develop faster if states with common boundaries work together on mega projects. For
example, recently, Governor Soludo decided to commence the construction of a
superhighway linking Imo State to Anambra State. Governor Soludo will dualize this very
strategic road up to the boundary between Imo and Anambra. Now, imagine how the
connection between Imo and Anambra will be if the Imo State governor takes up the
dualization of its own end of this road.

Economic cooperation between states with common boundaries in terms of mega

projects is the way to go. The same applies to the Northern Governors Forum. Issues
related to terrorism and banditry in the north requires concerted cooperation between
northern states with common boundaries. Recently, the think tank known as the Arewa
Research and Development Project (ARDP) presented a position paper to the Northern
Governors Forum where it recommended to the northern governors to ‘’embrace
regional cooperation by coordinating efforts among neighboring states to address cross-
border challenges, enhance security, promote economic integration, and manage
environmental issues’’. This is the way to go in terms of development and there should
be no need for mutual suspicions between the north and the south.

The recently released statement by the 17 southern governors shows clearly that the
governors are purely focused on development. The southern governors released what
they referred to as the Southern States Development Agenda (SSDA) in order to ‘’foster
trade and investment, sustainable growth and development, economic prosperity, social
harmony, and food security for the region’’. The SSDA would create a platform where the
following organizations will work together: individual states’ Investment Promotion and
Facilitation Agencies, the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) and various
multilateral agencies.
The southern governors have other big plans. The forum plans to commission a regional
multimodal transport master plan that would enhance ‘’connectivity by rail, road, air,
and water to enhance regional connectivity and facilitate the interstate and intra-region
ease of doing business”.

But that is not all. The forum has even a bigger plan for electricity generation. The forum
plans to generate 90,000 MW of electricity to serve the needs of the estimated 90 million
people in the south (this amounts to 1,000 MW per 1 million population). The forum
advised member states to take advantage of the recently passed electricity laws in the
country.

The forum discussed other important issues but it is important to note that the economic
corporation between neighboring states - in terms of infrastructural development - was
amongst the key takeaway from the communique released by the forum.

With Governors Abiodun and Soludo and the current class of southern governors, the
future is bright for Nigeria. The transformation of Nigeria would need men with bold
ideas who also have strong execution abilities and the current class of governors in
Nigeria have many of such men.

Dr Ebuka Nwankwo is the special adviser to Governor Soludo on Special Projects and the
opinions expressed in this article are purely the personal opinions of Dr Nwankwo.