Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has said that the recent meeting of governors with President Bola Tinubu in Lagos centred on security challenges and preparations for the forthcoming All Progressives Congress convention.
Sule disclosed this on Monday while speaking on the sidelines of his investiture as Patron of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations in Abuja.
The governor explained that the gathering, which followed a dinner with the President, involved extensive deliberations on security issues affecting the country, as well as strategy sessions ahead of the APC convention.
According to him, the discussions with the President were followed by a prolonged meeting among governors that lasted into the early hours of Monday.
He said, “Most of the governors were in Lagos to meet with Mr President, where we had detailed engagements, particularly on security matters, which we presented to him.
“Thereafter, we held our own meeting as governors in preparation for the APC convention, and that continued until after 2am.”
Sule attributed the relocation of his investiture ceremony from Lafia to Abuja to the tight schedule occasioned by the Lagos meeting.
He apologised to residents and leaders of Nasarawa State for the change of venue, noting that it became impracticable to return to Lafia due to time constraints.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that governors elected on the platform of the APC converged in Lagos on Sunday for a high-level meeting ahead of the party’s governorship primaries slated for next month.
The meeting took place at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, after the governors paid a visit to the President at his residence in Ikoyi.
Although about 31 governors were expected at the session, 21 were present as of late Sunday evening.
The meeting was presided over by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, while the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, played host.
Other governors in attendance included those of Yobe, Ogun, Delta, Ondo, Cross River, Taraba, Kwara, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Kogi, Ebonyi, Plateau, Kano, Niger, Enugu, Jigawa, Katsina and Bayelsa states.
Speaking further, Sule emphasised the importance of leadership and innovation in driving national development, commending the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations for its role in promoting these values.
He noted that his association with the institute deepened after he was recognised with its Leadership Prize during its 60th anniversary, describing the honour as distinct from routine awards.
Earlier, the President and Chairman of the NIPR Governing Council, Ike Neliaku, praised the Nasarawa governor for his leadership qualities and support for the institute.
Neliaku said the institute had closely monitored developments in Nasarawa State and acknowledged improvements in governance perception under Sule’s administration.
He revealed that the state’s performance rating rose significantly from 30.4 per cent in 2024 to 83.6 per cent in 2026, attributing the improvement to deliberate reforms and responsive leadership.