Recently, the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) Quarterly Strategy Meeting of Secretaries to the Governments of States (SGSs) governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) was held at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba. The meeting, themed “Strengthening Subnational Governance Synergy for Effective Policy Coordination in APC-Governed States,” brought together high-level state officials to chart strategies for deepening administrative collaboration and governance reforms across the country.
At the opening ceremony of the meeting, Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori was honoured with the Outstanding Leadership Award for Excellence in Governance by the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) in recognition of his humility, visionary leadership, and transformative strides in the state.
Presenting the award, the Director-General of the APC Governors’ Forum, Mr Folorunsho Aluko, described Governor Oborevwori as “a beacon of humility, progress and excellence in governance.” He praised the governor for redefining public service through accessibility, empathy, and disciplined leadership.
“Your administration’s commitment to infrastructural renewal, youth inclusion and transparent governance has set a new standard of progress and purpose in public office. Beyond the projects that dot Delta’s landscape, what stands out is your humility of heart, accessibility, and genuine passion for the people,” Aluko said.
The PGF DG noted that the meeting in Asaba symbolised “the renewed energy of cooperative federalism,” emphasising that the SSGs of APC states were not merely administrators but “architects of coherence and custodians of purpose in implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Aluko further said that the PGF’s tribute to Governor Oborevwori was not only a recognition of personal excellence but also a call to collective progress, emphasising that “history rarely rewards those who merely occupy offices; it celebrates those who build systems that outlive them.”
In his remarks, Governor Oborevwori, represented by his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, expressed deep appreciation to the PGF for the honour, describing it as a motivation to continue delivering good governance to the people of Delta State.
“We are delighted to host this important convergence that drives the engine of governance and strengthens service delivery. Our MORE Agenda—Meaningful Development, Opportunities for All, Realistic Reforms, and Enhanced Peace and Security, is in full alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government,” Oborevwori said.
He highlighted several milestones under the MORE Agenda, including the reconstruction of the Warri–Sapele–Benin Dual Carriageway; ongoing flyover projects at Otovwodo Junction in Ughelli and Uromi Junction in Agbor, and the inauguration of the new NDDC Delta State Office in Warri, all designed to accelerate infrastructure and economic growth.
Host Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, in his welcome address, said Delta State’s participation in the PGF family had deepened intergovernmental collaboration and broadened learning opportunities among state leaders, stressing “our MORE Agenda aligns seamlessly with the Renewed Hope Agenda, and this partnership continues to yield transformative outcomes.”
The Chairperson of the Forum and Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Dr Folashade Ayoade, also commended the Delta State Government for its hospitality and organisational support in hosting the Forum, describing the Asaba edition as one of the most productive sessions yet.
At the end of the two-day Quarterly Strategy Meeting, participants commended the visionary leadership of President Bola Tinubu and the Progressive Governors for their unwavering commitment to deepening governance reforms, promoting intergovernmental collaboration and delivering the promises of the Renewed Hope Agenda to all Nigerians. The commendation was contained in a nine-point communique read by the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu.
In the communique, participants acknowledged the increasing strategic role of Secretaries to the Governments as critical drivers of policy coordination, harmonisation and implementation across the States, even as they resolved to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Offices of the SGSs to serve as hubs of policy alignment, ensuring coherence between federal and state initiatives and promoting efficiency in service delivery across APC-governed States.
The meeting, according to the communique, recognised the urgent need to strengthen administrative reforms and adopt digital governance systems as part of ongoing efforts to modernise the public service and enhance operational efficiency. To this end, the communique said, participants resolved to deepen collaboration among States to share best practices, develop standardised procedures, and deploy technology-driven solutions that improve transparency, accountability and decision-making across all levels of government.
“The Meeting emphasised the importance of building a unified Performance Management Framework that measures and tracks the effectiveness of government programmes and policies at the sub-national level. It resolved to work with the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) Secretariat to advocate for a harmonised framework that aligns State performance indicators with national priorities, thereby ensuring measurable outcomes and consistent progress across APC-governed States.
“The Secretaries to the Governments reaffirmed their collective commitment to promoting synergy among APC-Governed States through structured peer learning, evidence-based policy review and joint capacity-building initiatives. The Meeting agreed to strengthen the coordination role of the PGF Secretariat in facilitating technical cooperation and knowledge exchange on governance innovation, monitoring and evaluation and results-based management,” the communique signed by 15 participants added.
Meanwhile, participants at the meeting have hailed the urban renewal drive of the Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori administration in the State, describing it as a beacon of progress. They expressed delight with what they saw when they embarked on a guided tour of some ongoing and completed projects executed by the state government.
They visited the Asaba Waterfront City project, Maryam Babangida Leisure Park and the flood control project along Summit Road and were conducted round the projects by the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, after their meeting. In an interview with journalists shortly after the guided tour, the Chairperson, Forum of Secretaries to the Governments of APC-Governed States, Mrs Folashade Ayoade, who is also the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State, said what she saw was a beacon of progress.
Mrs Ayoade said the urban renewal efforts and social infrastructure of the Oborevwori administration were evident that Delta State was not just building structures but building hope, saying, “Coming to Asaba, I had modest expectations. But what I have seen here has completely transformed my view. Delta State has indeed become a beacon of progress — a true member of the progressive family of states.”
Also speaking, the Secretary of the Forum of Secretaries to the Governments of APC-Governed States, Dr Magaji Labaran (SAN), who is equally the Secretary to the Government of Nasarawa State, said what they have seen in the state over the past few days has been nothing short of remarkable.
Dr Labaran disclosed that the scope, quality, and simultaneous execution of projects across the state were clear indicators of visionary leadership, discipline, and purposeful governance, adding that it portrays a living example of what the Renewed Hope Agenda stands for.
“We are thrilled by the level of commitment demonstrated by His Excellency, the Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and the consistency of his team. The progress we have witnessed here reflects not only the strength of leadership at the subnational level but also the synergy that exists between the states and the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu.
“We have seen projects that are competitive, people-centred, and directly improving the lives of ordinary citizens. Many of them are worthy of replication across our own states if we have the resources. And we are confident that, with the improved revenue streams under the current administration, and the prudent use of such resources as we have seen here in Delta, our progressive states will continue to excel,” the Secretary of the Forum said.
In his remarks, the Secretary to the Government of Ogun State, Mr Tokunbo Talabi, said, “One project that struck me deeply is the Delta New City Development — an ambitious and visionary urban project. The quality of planning and the scope of work are world-class, comparable to what we see in cities like Lagos’ Banana Island or even New York. It is a city designed for the future — organised, commercial, and investor-friendly.”
