The Southern Senators Forum (SSF) has pledged to continue to be united behind the 9th Senate, headed by Sen. Ahmad Lawan.
Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, stated this on Wednesday while unveiling the new leadership of the group at a briefing with journalists at the National Assembly complex, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the group had earlier held a meeting that lasted about two hours on Wednesday.
Omo-Agege said that the meeting was an inaugural one for the Southern senators forum.
“As you see, it is customary that in all of the assemblies, the 6th, 7th and 8th senate, we always had a northern senators forum and the southern senators forum.
“The northern senators forum had been inaugurated sometime ago. By June 11 we will have been in the 9th Senate for two years.
“And we felt that it was only proper we inaugurate the leadership of this forum to provide leadership for senators from the southern part of the country.
“We are united; both the northern senators forum and the southern senators forum. We are united behind the leadership of the 9th Senate.
“It was a leadership we put in place then; we supported then and we will continue to support the leadership.”
He said that the forum had resolved that notwithstanding the challenges facing the country, “We will continue to support a united Nigeria.”
According to Omo-Agege, the new leadership has Sen. Michael Bamidele (APC-Ekiti) as chairman; Sen. Stella Oduah (PDP-Anambra) as vice chairperson; Sen. Mathew Urhoghide (PDP- Edo), Secretary General.
“Others are Sen. Solomon Olamilekan (APC-Lagos) as Treasurer, Sen. Degi Eremienyo (APC- Bayelsa) as Financial Secretary and Sen. Chukwuka Utazi (PDP-Enugu), Publicity Secretary.
On his part, the new chairman of the forum, Sen. Bamidele, said: “on behalf of other exco members, we appreciate the honour bestowed on us by our fellow Senators.
He assured that the forum would hold the position in trust and as well be at their best to be able to manage the unity of the Senate.
“We also look forward to working to further strengthen the leadership of the Senate itself while also providing a voice for the people.”
”We are here to represent and also doing all we can to ensure that the unity of Nigeria is strengthened,” Bamidele said. (NAN)
