Kebbi showcases hospitality, culture as Idris hosts Progressive Governors Forum

The recent convergence of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) in Birnin Kebbi, the capital of Kebbi State, has provided an opportunity for the Land of Equity to showcase its hospitality and rich culture. There is no doubt that the visit of those eminent Nigerians has opened the state’s potential as a total of 24 members of the forum visited the state with their entourage.

An aide to the governor, Ibrahim Abubakar Jombali, said: “At the periphery, it was just a political assembly of APC governors, but to the people of the state it was a good omen for Kebbi since it was the first time such a number of governors would pay homage to the state.

“Starting with the arrival of the august visitors, Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu, who was actively on ground, hosted the meeting, which held between October 16 and 17.

“The hosting of the meeting gave the state the opportunity to demonstrate its readiness to shoulder national responsibilities, if given the chance. Apart from boosting small-scale and medium enterprises, the hospitality sector in the state was also re-energised.

From Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport, Kebbi was agog with activities even as the people of the state were full of excitement and praises for the governor for hosting his colleagues from various parts of the country.

Many critical observers agree that it was indeed a historical period for the state to showcase to the world that she is not only the best in agriculture, animal husbandry, mineral resources but rich culture. The success of the event is also enough testimony to the nation that Kebbi is peaceful and always aligns with programmes that promote the national interest and unity of the country.

Many agree that Gov. Idris, the former national president of NUT and vice president of NLC, is a patriot and true son of the state who always projects Kebbi to the whole world. He has succeeded to execute abandoned projects, taken over Federal Government roads, completed the State Secretariat to accommodate Kebbi workers at a single place. The recent programme was an opportunity for the Progressive Governors to see first-hand the many infrastructure facilities executed by their colleague, Gov. Idris.

Indeed, the governor has shown that he is not only a Labour leader  but a nationalist and patriotic Nigerian ready to take the bull by the horns.

The Kebbi meeting of the PGF would not be forgotten in a hurry and would remain a reference point even as members of APC in the state who interacted with the governors after their formal meeting,were excited and felt a sense of belonging with assurances from their Leaders that they would enjoying a lot of dividends from the Federal Government under the Leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

For those who understand the dynamics of politics and importance of optics in the game, the Kebbi PGF meeting  has truly portrayed practically the policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Beyond the routine review of the nation’s socio-economic trajectory and strategizing for the 2027 elections, the primary goal  of the meeting was to harmonise state-level policies with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”

He said that the inclusion of the newly-welcomed Enugu governor, Peter Mbah, underscored the party’s strategic efforts  to deepen its footprints in the South East—a pragmatic move , primarily focusing on electoral expansion and regional inclusiveness.

“Gov. Idris’ stewardship was the key variable. The logistics management of the event was seamless, which was a marked contrast to the operational stumbles that hitherto occasionally plagued such past political gatherings.

Many commentators agree that Birnin Kebbi has been  transformed, momentarily, into an efficient political nexus as the traditional Hausa hospitality—a virtue often overlooked in national politics, served not only as a cultural showcase, but a deliberate mechanism to foster esprit de corps among the governors.

That personal diplomacy facilitated the necessary consensus-building the forum requires but more substantially, the meeting provided a platform to showcase Kebbi’s development and significant progress.

For many observers, governor Idris’ administration, softly, but effectively leveraged the event to draw attention to its investments in agricultural innovation, infrastructure, and, critically, security and education.

The governor’s radical and concerted efforts in security and his quest  for enhanced intelligence sharing, for instance, became an on-the-ground illustration of how a state can drive federal security objectives. This act of “show, don’t tell”, in policy application elevates the state’s profile from a mere recipient of federal policy to an active laboratory for its implementation.

The timing of the forum, amid national political fluidity, was crucial and it served as a timely re-affirmation of the APC’s operational unity.

The focus in the Government House council chamber was reported to be less on divisive rhetoric and more on actionable policy alignment. This spirit of consensus, as against the typical drama of intra-party squabbles, is perhaps the most salient outcome of the Birnin Kebbi meeting.

The accolades received by the Governor—including the “Best Governor of the Year 2025” from the National Progressive Councillors’ Forum (NPCF), draw their credence from visible developments, significant investment in scholarships and infrastructure, painting a picture of a state quietly climbing the governance ladder.

In essence, the 2025 PGF in Kebbi transcended the typical political photo-opportunity. It became a case study in how a diligent, detail-oriented host can convert a routine political assembly into an engine for policy convergence and national political consolidation.

Gov. Idris demonstrated that progressive governance is often less about grandstanding and more about operational excellence and strategic hospitality—a model worth studying as Nigeria navigates its path towards the 2027 electoral cycle.

The governor in the estimation of many analysts, is working, and Kebbi State is now in the news for the best reasons. The feeling by the majority of stakeholders and indigenes of the state is that, indeed, ‘Kebbi is heading for better times with better things.”