As part of efforts to forge stronger relationship, 17 governors from South West, South East and South South are meeting in Lagos on Monday.
The last time a similar meeting was held was about two years ago.
Announcing the meeting in a statement he issued, 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.
According to him, the meeting is to be held with the knowledge that the different states in the South have since 2005 developed several areas of comparative advantage which could be harnessed and become mutually beneficial.
Governors, he added, 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.
His words: “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.
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“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.”
The essence of the meeting, he added was to enable the states in the South speak with one strong voice.
It would be recalled 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.
At the meeting they also supported the indivisibility of Nigeria.
They 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.
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, is the chairman of the South-East/South-South Governors’ Forum.
