By Emeka Alex Duru
Twelve years after its last summit in 2005, the Southern Governors Forum (SGF), is back, this time around, with strong demand for devolution of power and true federalism.
In a joint communique read by the host governor, Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, at their meeting on Monday, October 23, 2017, the governors said that they would like to see an effective linkage of infrastructure in the Southern part of the country and pledged to work together for the development of the member states.
The governors who attended the summit included those of the six South-western states: Ambode; Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose; Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu; Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola; and Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
Also present were the governors of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike; Edo State, Godwin Obaseki; Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu; Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom; and Ebonyi State, David Umahi.
Governors of Cross River, Anambra and Delta were represented by their Deputies –Evara Esu; Dr. Nkem Okeke and Kingsley Otuaru respectively.
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha did not attend or send a representative to the summit.
Coming at a time of heightened agitation for true federalism and restructuring particularly from the southern parts of the country, commentators have scored the facilitators of the resuscitated SGF high.
The fear however, is how far the governors would walk their talk, given their different political leanings and personal attitude to national issues. This is aside the usual incidences of intrigues and enlightened interests that had worked against the Forum in the past.
Drawing from the past
At its first coming in 2001, the Forum, which was designed to give a voice to the many problems of states south of the Niger, had held out hope and expectations to residents and citizens of its 17- member states.
With seven relatively successful and flamboyant summits that took place in Lagos, Enugu, Oyo, Edo, among other states, the Forum had appeared as an answer to the mutual suspicion that had marred unity of purpose and understanding in southern Nigerian politics.
But by 2004, the bonding that appeared to be developing among the SGF members had started to fall apart. The general election of the previous year, 2003, did not help the cause of the Forum. With the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s so-called Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) federal might dispossessing the Alliance for Democracy (AD) of four out of its five states of the south west, suspicion began to creep into the activities of the group.
And with the PDP obviously comfortable with controlling 16 out of the 17 states in the south, it appeared there was no more work for the Forum.
More so, there were strong insinuations that Obasanjo who was then nursing his ill-conceived third term ambition, had seen in the Forum, a platform that he would use in partnership with governors and senators of the Middle Belt to realise his devious project.
A source who was on ground with the workings of the SGF told our reporter that it was the Obasanjo angle to its activities that actually nailed it.
“You know, my Oga (his governor), was one of those who put in everything to ensure the success of the group. We also gave the Forum a secretariat. But by 2006, it had become obvious to us that Obasanjo was actually seeing the Forum as a platform to actualise his third term project.
“Naturally, some of the governors were against the idea and started keeping away from the activities of the Forum. That was the beginning of the problem for SGF”, he said.
He added that the unfavourable disposition of the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar to the third term project also affected the group, especially as the governors who were loyal to him, stopped attending its summits.
“With power eventually returning to the North and the governors serving out their terms in respective states, there wasn’t much enthusiasm on their successors to carry on with the Forum. That was why the SGF went into limbo”, he added.
The new SGF, the danger within
Following what seemed a successful outing in Lagos, the Forum has slated its next meeting for Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
But even with the focus and agenda of the resuscitated body yet to be fully understood by many, there are already insinuations of unseen hands of Atiku and former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, in its return. The allegation is that with President Muhammadu Buhari suspected of having interest for a second term, despite the poor performance rating of his administration, a strong body comprising governors of the south, is needed to put his ambition under check.
Those who hold this view, add, that by flaunting devolution of power and true federalizing as the major demands of the SGF, the three zones in the south and the north central would key into the agenda. This is especially as Buhari has demonstrated his aversion to the two main issues highlighted by the Forum.
Atiku and Tinubu have incidentally not hidden their interest for the presidency, at least in recent time. While the former Vice President has always made his desire for the job known since 1993, activities of the former Lagos governor, of late, indicate that he is no longer ready to play the role of mere kingmaker. He rather wants to wear the crown, TheNiche, learnt.
More than any other consideration, a recent meeting of leading south west members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ibadan, spoke volume on the thinking of the foot soldiers of the former governor. At the end of the meeting, former Osun State governor and key Tinubu ally, Bisi Akande, announced that the presidential ticket of the party was open for all, since Buhari had not openly declared his interest at reelection. Many saw Akande echoing the position of Tinubu.
How far can SGF go?
But how far the SGF can go in helping Atiku or Tinubu realise their perceived agenda, is yet to be seen. In a telephone conversation with an official of the Lagos APC chapter on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, he waved off the suggestion of the former governor being behind the convocation of SGF. In his words, “Tinubu is not one to ride on the back of any person or group to realise his ambition. If and when he decides to go for any office in the land, which he is entitled to, anyway, he knows what to do and who to work with. Please count him out of the SGF meeting. He is no longer a governor and cannot decide for or direct the governors on what to do”.
Senior journalist and former Enugu State Commissioner for Information, Igbonekwu Ogazimorah, would not admit nor dismiss Tinubu being behind the body, as according to him, politics is a game of possibilities.
What he would not subscribe to however, is the SGF possessing the muscle to stop Buhari for a second term, if he decides to give it a shot.
He said, “By the time Buhari comes out to declare his interest and deploys his muscles, most of the governors will fall in or will be whipped into line. I am yet to see them having the strength to stand up to him; maybe one or two exceptions. That is, if it will ever come to that. All he will need to do, is to apply the carrot and stick policy and he will sow confusion in the fold”.
If that happens, the second coming of the Sothern governors Forum will be a mere flash in the pan.
