South-South Governors to Engage Tinubu Over Critical Infrastructure Deficit

— Forum backs president’s 2027 re-election, demands ports revival, regional rail

The six governors of the South-South geopolitical zone have resolved to engage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directly over critical infrastructure deficiencies plaguing the region, vowing to move “beyond resolutions to implementation” in transforming the Niger Delta into a unified economic powerhouse .

The governors, under the aegis of the South-South Governors’ Forum, converged at the Cross River State Government House in Calabar on Monday for their second meeting, where they deliberated on pressing socio-political, economic, and environmental issues confronting the region .

Strategic Infrastructure Priorities

In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the governors identified the rehabilitation and modernisation of the Calabar, Port Harcourt, and Warri seaports, alongside regional rail development, as immediate strategic priorities . They also highlighted the economic opportunities offered by the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as a key focus area .

Bayelsa State Governor and Forum Chairman, Senator Douye Diri, emphasised that connectivity is the foundation for transformation, calling for accelerated work on road, rail, air, and maritime infrastructure, including the East-West Road .

“The South-South must deliberately position itself as Nigeria’s gas-industrial hub, West Africa’s maritime gateway, and the country’s leading blue-economy zone,” Diri declared . “We cannot afford to remain a region of meetings and communiqués. The meeting must produce movement and measurable progress.”

Host Governor and Forum Vice Chairman, Senator Bassey Otu of Cross River, proposed a regional economic corridor linking the Bakassi Deep Seaport in Calabar with the East-West Road and the ports of Bayelsa and Delta states .

Call for Fiscal Equity

Governor Otu called for a unified regional position on fiscal equity, particularly on Value Added Tax, oil and gas revenues, and the 13 per cent derivation benchmark . He also renewed Cross River’s campaign to regain its oil-producing status, describing it as critical to the state’s economic fortunes .

The governors argued that the region, which sustains Nigeria’s economy through oil and gas earnings, deserves commensurate infrastructure development and fiscal justice .

Environmental Restoration and Security

The forum linked economic growth to security and environmental remediation, advocating stronger intelligence-sharing and joint security operations to protect communities, oil and gas assets, and economic corridors across the six states .

On environmental degradation, Diri described it as a “contradiction” that the region sustains Nigeria’s economy while suffering ecological devastation .

“We cannot continue to produce the wealth while communities remain surrounded by environmental devastation,” he said, calling for expanded remediation across the Niger Delta .

Political Declaration

In a significant political declaration, the forum reaffirmed its commitment to President Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 presidential election, pledging “100 per cent” support from the region .

The governors also resolved to institutionalise the forum with quarterly meetings, with the next session scheduled to hold in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, from November 6 to 8, 2026 .

Regional Integration Push

Analysts say the Calabar meeting signals a shift from isolated state projects to an integrated South-South economic space driven by shared infrastructure, investment, and value chains .

In his address, Governor Otu declared: “We must come together as a people; we must cooperate, and we must ensure that our voice is heard and respected.”

The BRACED Commission Director-General, Ambassador Joe Keshi, also made a presentation on advancing regional infrastructure, particularly rail development . PANDEF National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali, urged the forum to create a regional investment fund to mobilise capital for cross-border projects and place young people at the centre of the transformation agenda.

The meeting was attended by governors from Akwa Ibom, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and host Cross River