APC Governors deliver crucial verdict on Uzodimma’s leadership

Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress on Friday passed a vote of confidence in the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, dismissing speculations of a leadership shake-up within the forum.

The endorsement came amid reports suggesting that some members of the forum had moved to replace Uzodimma as chairman following an alleged announcement naming Peter Mbah as the new leader of the group.

However, after a closed-door meeting held at the Imo Lodge in Abuja on Friday, 18 APC governors physically present reaffirmed their support for Uzodimma and rejected claims of internal division within the forum.

Governors at the meeting included those from Ondo, Kaduna, Taraba, Sokoto, Ebonyi, Borno, Lagos, Kogi, Kano, Yobe, Kebbi, Benue and Jigawa states, while Nasarawa State was represented by its deputy governor.

The Taraba State governor reportedly attended briefly before departing after a short meeting with the host governor.

Moving the motion for a vote of confidence, Governor Nasir Idris declared that Uzodimma and Uba Sani remained the chairman and deputy chairman of the forum respectively.

“We don’t have any problem to justify what they have said. So, I want to seize this opportunity to move a vote of confidence in our chairman and his deputy,” Idris said.

Also speaking, Governor Uba Sani described reports of a crisis within the forum as unfortunate and misleading, insisting that APC governors remained united and firmly behind President Bola Tinubu.

“What I can say here is that all of us woke up to that very unfortunate story, which was virtually in all the media in Nigeria. But the truth of the matter is that the APC Progressive Governors’ Forum is very united,” Sani stated.

“We are stronger now than at any other time. And, of course, we are all supporting the President for what he has been doing.”

He added that the APC, its governors and the forum remained cohesive and focused ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Uzodimma also dismissed reports of disunity within the ruling party, stressing that APC governors were committed to supporting President Tinubu’s administration and ensuring the party’s success in the next election cycle.

“Governors of the All Progressives Congress are united and resolved to support the President and ensure that he emerges successfully in the upcoming elections in January 2027,” he said.

According to him, the governors resolved to intensify efforts in governance, improve service delivery and implement social intervention programmes aimed at improving the welfare of Nigerians.

The development comes amid growing political realignments and heightened calculations ahead of the 2027 elections, with the APC leadership seeking to project unity within its ranks.