The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has been elected as the new chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum.
Meanwhile, the governor of Anambra State, Prof Charles Soludo, emerged as the Vice Chairman of the forum.
The announcement came following a meeting held on Monday, where governors from across the Southern states convened to elect new leadership at the presidential lodge in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Abiodun succeeded the late Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, the former governor of Ondo State, who died in December last year.
The Southern Governors’ Forum functions as the collective umbrella for the governors representing the South-West, South-South, and South-East geopolitical zones of Nigeria, totalling 17 governors in all.
However, 16 governors were in attendance except the governor of Rivers State, Mr. Siminalayi Fubara.
The governors in attendance were; Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Seyi Makinde, Oyo State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Alex Otii of Abia 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.
Abiodun, speaking to 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, an encouragement to contribute his best for national development.