BEVERLY HILLS, October 22, (THEWILL) – The 17 governors from the South-West, South-East and South-South geo-political zones are to meet in Lagos on Monday to discuss latest national issues and forge stronger partnership.
A statement by the Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG), Mr Tunji Bello, said the meeting would be co-hosted by the Governors of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode and Akwa-Ibom, Emmanuel Udom.
Bello said the meeting is in line with the realisation that the different states in the South have since 2005 developed several areas of comparative advantage which could be harnessed and become mutually beneficial.
According to him, the Governors would also be expected to adopt a common position on the issues of armed robbery, kidnapping, devolution of powers and issue of fiscal federalism which have all gained prominence of late.
“The 2017 Lagos summit of the 17 Southern Governors representing the South South, South West and South East zones is expected to come up with a communiqué after the deliberation.
“It is noteworthy to recall that the inaugural meeting of the Southern Governors took place in Lagos in 2001 under the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Bello said.
The statement added that the predominance of views is that if the Southern States speak with one voice, they are bound to attract weighty and credible listenership.
THEWILLL recalls that Governors from the South-East and South-South Zones have been meeting intermittently with the latest on October 9 In Owerri where they rejected calls for the breakup of the country while rallying support for its continued existence as an indivisible entity.
The governors, at the end of the meeting, reiterated that a divided nation would not be acceptable to the people of the two zones and re-echoed the need for the country to remain united.
Governors who attended the meeting were Emmanuel Udom (Akwa-Ibom), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Nyesom Wike (Rivers) and Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta).
Others were Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu ), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ben Ayade (Cross River) while Anambra was represented by its deputy governor, Dr Nkem Okeke.
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