Southern senators revive forum, name Abiru as chairman

The 51 senators from the southern part of the country have revived their association.

The forum has not been inaugurated since the commencement of the 10th senate.

Opeyemi Bamidele, the current majority leader, was the chairman of  the forum in the ninth senate.

On Wednesday, the southern senators met and named Adetokunbo Abiru, the lawmaker representing Lagos east, as chairman of the forum.

The forum also named Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central, as vice-chairman; Mpigi Barinada, senator representing Rivers south-east, as secretary; Asuquo Ekpenyong, senator representing Cross River north, as publicity secretary; and Kenneth Eze, senator representing Ebonyi central, as treasurer.

Speaking after he was elected chairman of the forum, Abiru said the group would partner with the Northern Senators Forum (NSF) for the progress of the country.

The Lagos senator said the forum would draw out plans for the three geo-political zones in the southern part of the country.

“This forum, the Southern Senators Forum, is to champion the cause of Nigeria and Nigerians,” Abiru said.

“We have our northern brothers with the Northern Senators Forum. We will work together with the northern senators forum to move the country forward.

“We will swing into action and roll out our plans for the betterment of the region and Nigeria.

“We will map out our plans and work on them for the betterment of Nigeria and Nigerians generally .

“Before today, we have been running the forum in this 10th Senate as if we don’t exist but now that the last leadership has transferred power to us.”

The development came a day after Abdul Ningi, suspended Bauchi central senator, resigned as chairman of the NSF.

Ningi resigned immediately after he was suspended for three months over the claim that the 2024 budget was padded by N3 trillion.