A group of 51 senators from the southern part of Nigeria have re-established their association.
The forum has not been active since the beginning of the 10th Senate.
The current majority leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, led the forum in the ninth senate.
During a meeting on Wednesday, the southern senators appointed Adetokunbo Abiru, the senator representing Lagos East, as the new chairman of the forum.
The forum also selected Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central, as vice-chairman; Mpigi Barinada, senator representing Rivers south-east, as secretary; Asuquo Ekpenyong, senator representing Cross River north, as publicity secretary; and Kenneth Eze, senator representing Ebonyi central, as treasurer.
After being elected as chairman, Abiru mentioned that the group would collaborate with the Northern Senators Forum (NSF) to advance the country.
The Lagos senator also stated that the forum would develop plans for the three geopolitical zones in the southern part of the country.
“This forum, the Southern Senators Forum, is to champion the cause of Nigeria and Nigerians,” Abiru said.
“We have our northern brothers with the Northern Senators Forum. We will work together with the northern senators forum to move the country forward.
“We will swing into action and roll out our plans for the betterment of the region and Nigeria.
“We will map out our plans and work on them for the betterment of Nigeria and Nigerians generally .
“Before today, we have been running the forum in this 10th Senate as if we don’t exist but now that the last leadership has transferred power to us.”
The news broke the day after Abdul Ningi, the suspended senator from Bauchi central, stepped down as the chairman of the NSF.
Ningi’s resignation followed his suspension for three months due to allegations of padding the 2024 budget by N3 trillion.
