By Emmanuel Oloniruha
Former Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has urged the Forum of Former Deputy Governors of Nigeria (FFDGN) to promote harmonious relationships between governors and their deputies to strengthen democratic governance.
Ganduje, the National Patron of the forum, made the call on Thursday in Abuja when members paid him a courtesy visit ahead of the forum’s fifth national conference.
He urged the forum to mediate whenever disagreements arose between governors and their deputies, saying its members possessed the experience to resolve such disputes.
“I believe your forum should make it one of its responsibilities to help resolve conflicts between governors and their deputies whenever they arise.“Such efforts will command respect because you understand the responsibilities of both offices and the dynamics of that relationship,” he said.
Ganduje also urged the forum to monitor political developments across states, irrespective of political affiliations, and offer practical governance advice to serving public office holders.
He described the office of deputy governor as indispensable, saying the Constitution provided for continuity in governance while the responsibilities of government were too enormous for one person.
The former governor also urged the forum to examine recurring conflicts between predecessors and successors in office.
According to him, the issue cuts across political parties and should form the theme of one of the forum’s future conferences.
“These problems still occur because of individual attitudes, misuse of power and, in many cases, the influence of sycophants on both sides,” he said.
Ganduje, a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), commended the forum for sustaining its activities, saying the seriousness of any organisation was measured by the impact of its programmes.
He also accepted the invitation to attend the forum’s fifth national conference scheduled for Oct. 20 and Oct. 21.
Earlier, the forum’s Chairman, Dr Chris Akomas, said the conference would focus on nation building, leadership and national unity.
He said the conference, with the theme, “Rethinking Nation Building: Bridging the Leadership-Citizen Disconnect”, aimed to bridge the widening gap between leaders and citizens through practical recommendations from experienced former public office holders.
Akomas said the Board of Trustees resolved to engage the forum’s patrons ahead of the conference to appreciate their support, formally notify them of the event and seek their participation.
He said the visit also provided an opportunity to present Ganduje with the proceedings of the forum’s fourth national conference and its 2026/2027 desk calendar.
According to him, Ganduje has consistently supported the forum by attending its annual conferences or delegating representatives whenever official engagements prevented his attendance.
Akomas said the forum had earlier visited its Grand Patron, former President Goodluck Jonathan, who expressed satisfaction with its growth and indicated his willingness to attend this year’s conference.
He reaffirmed the forum’s commitment to promoting national unity, good governance and democratic development by leveraging the experience of former deputy governors.
He also invited Ganduje to visit the forum’s secretariat in recognition of his support for the forum’s growth.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forum is a non-partisan body comprising former deputy governors from the country’s 36 states.
It serves as a platform for members to share governance experiences, promote national development and offer policy recommendations on issues affecting Nigeria’s democratic governance and socio-economic development. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
2026-07-23