Members of the Senate under the auspices of the Southern Senators’ Forum have expressed their commitment to ensuring an equitable, progressive and prosperous Nigeria.
The Chairman of the forum, Senator Hope Uzodinma, in a statement on Sunday, said the lawmakers would continue to canvass for lasting solutions to issues affecting Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnicity or religion.
According to him, the forum has scheduled a retreat for this month to discuss national issues, including the protection of ethnic minorities in the country.
Uzodinma added that issues for discussion at the retreat would also include the imperative of restructuring in a multi-religious country as Nigeria and the role of the legislature in a constitutional democracy.
The senator stressed that the sustenance of national unity in a restructured Nigeria would equally be discussed.
He said, “The Southern Senators’ Forum is a consultative assembly of serving senators from the southern states of the federation which has been in existence since the advent of democracy in 1999.
“The forum seeks to evoke progressive conversations among the peoples of the southern parts of the country through their elected representatives in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.
“Since it is a non-partisan consultative group, the soothing impact of the forum in proffering progressive path for knotty issues that face the diverse peoples of our country is of optimum value to the sustenance and deepening of our nation’s democracy.”
Uzodinma further said the forum would continue to partner other consultative fora, captains of industries, religious leaders and professionals, in its bid to ensure a sustainable democracy.
He added that the forum would also partner traditional institutions, governmental and non-governmental organisations in sustaining its legacy for a dynamically changing world order.
