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

With the choice of Governor 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 is 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.

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.