Barely 24 hours after the Senate suspended Abdul Ningi, the former chairman of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF), amid charges of 2024 budget padding, the Southern Senators Forum (SSF) has elected new executive officers to lead the group’s affairs in the 10th Senate.
Senator Adetokunbo Abiru (APC, Lagos East), who also chairs the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions, is the new chairman of the SSF, with Senator Victor Umeh (LP, Anambra Central) serving as Vice Chairman.
Senator Mpigi Barinada (PDP, Rivers South East) serves as Secretary; Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC, Cross River North) is the Public Relations Officer; and Senator Kenneth Eze (APC, Ebonyi Central) is the Treasurer.
Senator Abiru succeeds Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who has served as the forum’s chairman since the ninth assembly.
Addressing reporters shortly after the meeting of senators from the South West, South East, and South South, Abiru stated that they will work with the Northern Senators Forum to bring the country forward.
“Our expectation—and the responsibility bestowed on us— is to champion the course of Nigeria and Nigerians, first and foremost.
“And because we also live in an environment where we have our northern brothers as well, what we are meant to do is work closely with them to champion the course of Nigeria. Right now, the unity of Nigeria is important to us,” he stressed.
The new chairman said the SSF members would swing into action and roll out their plans for the betterment of the region and Nigeria, adding: “We will work out our plans. The last leadership has transferred power to us. We’ve been running the forum as if we don’t exist.
“The present Leader of the Senate was the leader of the Southern Senators Forum. He was too engaged on other issues, but we now have new leadership, which is headed by me,” Senator Abiru added.
Earlier, Senator Bamidele said his current position as Leader of the 10th Senate prevented him from providing the required leadership, necessitating a change of leadership, which took place at the meeting.
“What is happening here today is not new, as both the southern and northern senators’ fora existed even before this 10th Senate.
“At this meeting of the southern senators, new executive members will be announced to steer the affairs of the forum,” he said.