The Chairman of the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria (FFDGN), Dr. Chris Akomas, has said the forum’s fifth national conference will focus on rebuilding trust between leaders and citizens as part of efforts to promote national unity, good governance and sustainable development.
Dr. Akomas stated this when members of the forum paid a courtesy visit to the forum’s National Patron and former Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, ahead of the conference scheduled to hold in Abuja on October 20 and 21.
According to him, the conference, themed “Rethinking Nation Building: Bridging the Leadership-Citizen Disconnect,” will provide practical recommendations for addressing governance challenges, strengthening democratic institutions and fostering closer engagement between government and the people.
He explained that the forum’s Board of Trustees resolved to visit its patrons to appreciate their consistent support, formally notify them of the forthcoming conference and seek their participation.
Dr. Akomas disclosed that the delegation presented Dr. Ganduje with the proceedings of the forum’s fourth national conference as well as the FFDGN 2026/2027 desk calendar.
He described the former Kano State governor as a committed supporter of the forum, noting that he has consistently attended its annual conferences or delegated representatives whenever official engagements prevented his attendance.
The FFDGN chairman further revealed that members had earlier paid a similar visit to the forum’s Grand Patron, former President Goodluck Jonathan, who commended the steady growth of the organisation and expressed his willingness to participate in this year’s conference.
Reaffirming the forum’s non-partisan stance, Dr. Akomas said the body remains committed to promoting national unity, democratic governance and sound public policy by leveraging the wealth of experience of former deputy governors across the country.
He also invited Dr. Ganduje to visit the forum’s national secretariat in recognition of his continued support for the organisation.
Responding, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje urged the forum to play a more active role in reconciling serving governors and their deputies whenever disagreements arise, stressing that such interventions would strengthen democratic governance and political stability.
He noted that former deputy governors possess the experience, credibility and neutrality required to mediate political disputes and provide objective advice to serving public office holders.
The former Kano State governor also called on the forum to examine the recurring conflicts between outgoing governors and their successors, describing the trend as a growing challenge to Nigeria’s democratic system.
Dr. Ganduje accepted the invitation to attend the forum’s fifth national conference and commended the organisation for sustaining its advocacy for good governance. He said the impact of its programmes demonstrated its seriousness and continued relevance to Nigeria’s democratic and socio-economic development.
The Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria is a non-partisan organisation comprising former deputy governors from the country’s 36 states. It provides a platform for members to share governance experiences and advance policy recommendations aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and national development.
