NewStats: 3,262,619 , 8,177,703 topics. Date: Tuesday, 03 June 2025 at 04:26 AM 736o1r

GOVERNORS, EX-GOVS, OTHERS MEET IN LAGOS OVER INSECURITY, 2023 POLLS

Political leaders comprising former and incumbent governors, ex-senators as well as business leaders met in a seminar in Lagos on Saturday to discuss issues bordering on the state of the nation.

While the highlight of the seminar tagged ‘2022 Group of Eminent Nigerians on Way Forward’ held at Eko Hotel was not made public, It was believed that issues revolving around the prevailing insecurity in the country, 2023 general elections, national unity, among others topped the agenda.

Top party stalwarts from both the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party attended the event.

Though Sunday PUNCH could not confirm the number of attendees as of the time of filing this report, information gathered by our correspondents indicated that governors across the geopolitical zones were in attendance.

Some of those in attendance that Sunday PUNCH could confirm included a former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, former Senate President and Secretary to the Federal Government of Nigeria, Anyim Pius Anyim, who is also a PDP presidential aspirant; former Governor of Imo State; Ikedi Ohakim , former Governor of Cross Rivers State, Donald Duke and former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

The country has been battling with terrorist attacks, banditry and kidnapping, which have led to thousands of killings and payment of millions of naira in ransom.

Aside from insecurity, national unity has been threatened in recent times as some regional groups had expressed intention to secede from the country.

The meeting, it was learnt, was meant to chart a course for a united Nigeria to calm frayed nerves as the race for the next year presidential election heats up.

“The seminar focussed on the state of the nation. It was a move by eminent Nigerians to discuss issues affecting the development of the country,” a source privy to the seminar tacitly told Sunday PUNCH.

Asked if the issues bordered on insecurity, national unity and the 2023 elections, the source simply said, “they may not be unconnected with those things and other related issues.”

Recall that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) had hosted the 2022 committee of business, political, media and civil society leaders to a dinner in Abuja last Sunday.

The Publisher, ThisDay Newspapers, Nduka Obaigbena, who is the convener of the committee, had said the committee was aimed at defending Nigeria in a time of crisis and in a time of transition.

The Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State and other leaders attended the dinner.

Speaking at the event, Buhari said his regime would hand over an agriculture-led and diversified home-grown economy, stable democracy and revamped armed and security forces to the next istration.

The President in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, had said, “I am gradually entering my final year in office. It is a period I intend to spend not only on consolidating on the achievements of the past seven years but also to leave a legacy for a united, peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria.

“I take this initiative to mean that you all intend to collaborate with this istration in that direction. For those among you who are politicians, you must look beyond gaining power to how you can leverage public positions in the process of societal change. To the businessmen and women among you, there is great glory in public service.

“The question that should be uppermost always is: How do we leverage our business endowment for the greater good of our country? I am delighted that of the Nigerian elite have woken up to the fact that the task of changing this society is a task for all of us, whether we are in the private or public sector. Knowing that, we have enormous challenges as a nation, but they are not beyond our capacity to overcome if we embrace a new approach.

“We cannot retreat to our ethnic cocoons, nor can we continue to seek solace in our past. We must champion the idea of a Nigeria where every citizen would be proud to call their own. That is the charge before you.”

Sunday PUNCH gathered that the Saturday meeting held in Lagos was an extension of the issues discussed at the dinner.

Another reliable source, who participated in the Saturday meeting, likened the discussion to Buhari’s statement at the dinner, adding that the seminar deliberated on nation building.

He said, “Discourse around the state of the nation is a continuum. Some of the matters the President spoke about at the dinner were also raised at the seminar. Everyone is interested in making sure the country works in all aspects be it political, economic and security-wise.”

Source:
https://punchng.com/governors-ex-govs-others-meet-in-lagos-over-insecurity-2023-polls/

Anyim for president, I missed you o Donald Duke

Meet over insecurity....


What amount of money and inteligence dem wan contribute mayb to equip our security operatives..


Abi na Alumni meeting eat nd drink say jargons to put on paper na him dem dey du with undergraduate Gov....

Donald Duke

Jostoman:
Anyim for president, I missed you o Donna Duke

one of the few leaders of Nigeria making use of their thinking faculties.

2023 elections by the corner. Let's use our PVC wisely.

They’re wasting their time cos another Fulani man(Atiku) is coming.

Like for Atiku share for Tinubu

[img]https://media1./images/01ad3915522e2dfc52b69bd84865b4bf/tenor.gif?itemid=10938624[/img]

To get recognition?
Their time has gone and forgotten, please leave Nigeria alone

O

That's Donald Duke is a SIMPle man

The gathering of the Nigerian Political Vultures

The ment has begun. #2023ShineYaEyes

Irrelevant retired politicians staging a come back

How una wan take tackle insecurities in the country when the poverty state of the common man is very alerming.

positive result hopefully

We are watching keenly.

na una sabi

Why not hold the meeting in Borno state and thereafter go round the state to 'gain first hand knowledge of the situation in order to determine the immediate and remote causes

Why always the West? This land is too darn blessed!

Why can't they do the seminar in Borno or Imo..

Lagos na mini London

Shetemi12:
Why can't they do the seminar in Borno or Imo..

Lagos na mini London

Abi now, Lagos is their heaven, especially those retarrded 5% from the mud republic, all of their useless governors have at least a house in Lagos, I am not sure any SW governor have just a room in their barren land yet they will open their mouths to abuse Tinubu and SW leaders.

This 2023 election will determine if Nigeria will survive, we are ready for them.

Which insecurity?These people want make buhari's government look bad.nigeria is pissful.no more kidnapping,bandity,terrorism,robbery,killing and boko haram and iswap have been defeated,nigeria's economy is booming.

Honor10:


Abi now, Lagos is their heaven, especially those retarrded 5% from the mud republic, all of their useless governors have at least a house in Lagos, I am not sure any SW governor have just a room in their barren land yet they will open their mouths to abuse Tinubu and SW leaders.

This 2023 election will determine if Nigeria will survive, we are ready for them.

How will a Governor from South West have a house in the east..? But na true.. every state from South east and South south have a house in Lagos state

Let the deceit continue.

9jayes:
They’re wasting their time cos another Fulani man(Atiku) is coming.

Like for Atiku share for Tinubu

none of this mofors,be careful!

Hope Tinubu them

Na now these bunch of eediots, generation ruiners know say insecurity dey 9ja
Make thunder fire all of them wherever they gather to discuss insecurity after hundreds of thousands of innocent Nigerians have suffered and died in the hands of kidnappers
Now they are foreseeing the possibility of insecurity ruining their chances of grabbing seats to loot our commonwealth
Thunder fire and destroy such evil gathering

That meeting is incomplete without Labour, representatives of the citizenry across different strata of the society and Civil Society groups. The days of government and big corporations running the affairs of a nation of 200m people must stop.