Northern Governors’ Forum meets in Kaduna as deputy governors dominate attendance

The meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) holding in Kaduna on Wednesday opened with an unusually high number of deputy governors representing their principals, a development that underscored the increasing pressure on state chief executives amid mounting security, economic and political challenges across Northern Nigeria.

Of the 19 northern states expected at the meeting, about 75 per cent were represented by their deputy governors rather than the governors themselves, while only a handful of governors attended in person. The meeting, hosted at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna, comes after Secretaries to the State Governments (SSGs) from the region met on Tuesday to harmonise issues for deliberation.

Although representation by deputy governors is constitutionally valid, the turnout reflected the growing demands on governors, many of whom are engaged in official assignments, political consultations and security engagements in their respective states.

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The forum is expected to deliberate on worsening insecurity across the North, regional economic integration, agriculture, infrastructure, education and strategies for improving investment and development. Security is expected to dominate discussions following renewed attacks in parts of the region and increasing calls for stronger collaboration among northern states.

Political observers noted that the heavy reliance on deputy governors may slow high-level decision-making on sensitive regional issues, although most deputies are expected to convey the positions of their governors during deliberations.

Ahead of the meeting, the Forum of Secretaries to the Governments of the 19 northern states had agreed on a common agenda designed to ensure coordinated action by the governors on issues affecting the region, particularly security, economic growth and regional cooperation.

The outcome of the Kaduna meeting is expected to shape the North’s collective response to pressing socio-economic and security concerns as the region continues to seek stronger collaboration among its states.