The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, has called for the establishment of a permanent, periodic national conference as a structured mechanism to promote inclusive governance and strengthen national unity in Nigeria.
Speaking at the 100th anniversary lecture of the Yoruba Tennis Club in Onikan, Lagos, Oborevwori said inclusive governance remains the most sustainable pathway to national cohesion, stressing the need for structured dialogue rather than crisis-driven consultations.
He proposed a formal framework for a recurring national conference that would bring together federal and state officials, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, youth and women’s groups, as well as private sector stakeholders to regularly assess and realign national priorities.
According to him, such a platform should be guided by measurable outcomes, including evaluation of inclusivity in governance, regional development audits, policy feedback mechanisms, conflict prevention strategies, and initiatives aimed at strengthening public trust.
The governor also linked national unity to ongoing economic reforms, commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as difficult but necessary policy decisions, including fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms, which he said have improved fiscal capacity across states.
Oborevwori further argued that national cohesion must be built from the grassroots, noting that citizens are more likely to embrace a unified national identity when governance is equitable and effective at state and local government levels.
