There are three emergent political power foci in the Southern Governors’ Forum. Right from May 2021, when the 17 state governors held their historic initial meeting in Asaba, Delta State, these three have continued to pander towards consistent intervention in the socio-political progression of the country.
In all these, as the governors try to influence the budding Southern coalition, it could be deduced that concerns or calculations for the 2023 Presidential politics influence their stance to some extent. Unexpectedly, before the next Southern Governors’ meeting, which had to be scheduled for Enugu, Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had bought in fully into the VAT controversy.
Making a comparative analysis of number of votes cast in June 12, 1993 Presidential and those generated from the 2019 poll, the investment banker said “southern leaders must insist on full fiscal federalism now. We must revert to the 1960/1963 constitutional framework or we risk a break up of this country into six regions.”
“Oyo State is one state, whose demographics and numbers are reflected clearly by empirical facts – VAT generation, IGR generation, school enrolment, mobile phone Sim Card registration, BVN , TIN numbers.” Recently he made what many commentators saw as ambivalent statements when he declared that APC’s future was uncertain even as he declared the former Lagos State governor and national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, remains the Political ‘capone’ of Southwest APC.Speaking when he appeared on a national television programme, Governor Akeredolu had declared: “I am an APC person and I have said it over and over that I won’t leave APC.
“For emphasis, any such comment like that of the Kaduna Governor…merely seeks to encourage anarchy under the guise “of resentment of a Law by affected stakeholders. At his defection, Umahi was received as a big plus to APC, especially given that he is the chairman of Southeast Governors’ Forum and the perception in the zone that performed more than his peers in the areas of infrastructure and political sagacity.
Also, in the total value of goods and services produced by the Southeast states, Ebonyi came top with N105.2billion, while it is being trailed by Anambra and Enugu, N73billion. However, another expert, Ikenna Omeje, expressed doubts as to the fidelity of the statistics, even as he praised Obiaraeri for his ability to “put in huge econometrics to the published data on VAT attributed to Southeast vis – a- vis the figures of some states in the federation.
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