Nigerian Govs meet over LG Autonomy, excess crude account, others

Nigeria’s 36 state governors, under the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), convened late Wednesday night for a marathon meeting to address pressing issues including local government autonomy, the excess crude account, and petroleum profit tax.

The high-stakes meeting, which started around 9 p.m. at the NGF Secretariat in Maitama, Abuja, took place hours before the anticipated National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday.

The governors gathered shortly after a closed-door session between state leaders, the Council of Traditional Rulers, and President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa. The agenda items discussed at the NGF meeting reflect critical issues in national revenue distribution and governance structures, with the push for local government autonomy and the handling of Nigeria’s excess crude account at the forefront.

The agenda read, “The forum chaired by Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq is expected to hear presentations from the Acting Director General of the Department of State Security, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi; former Vice President and Chair of Delegation at the African Medical Excellence Center, Namadi Sambo; and Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Engr. Mele Kyari.

“Key topics on the meeting’s agenda include updates on the United Nations General Assembly, ECA, reconciliation of PPT and royalties accounts/debt net-off, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s state billings for ground rent.”

The contents of the agenda read, “Chairman’s Welcome Remarks; Minutes of the Last Meeting; Matters Arising/ Chairman’s Briefs: United Nations General Assembly – Update ii. ECA, PPT & Royalties Accounts

“Reconciliation/Debt Net-Off – Update, NGF Legal Cases – Update iv. Leveraging $825M to Improve Nigeria’s Agri-Food Sector; Update by NGF Secretariat – Ag. Director General; Presentations by H.E. Namadi Sambo (former Vice-President) -Chair of Delegation, African Medical Excellence Center; Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi – DG Department of State Security; Engr. Mele Kyari – GCEO NNPC Ltd; Lami Chinade – Office of the National Security
Adviser; A.O.B, and Communique,”

The meeting is on going as at the time of this report at 12. 31am.