By Ochiagha Nnanna Okere
The Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) has passed a resounding vote of confidence in its Chairman and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, as governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed rumours of a planned leadership change within the forum.
The endorsement came amid widespread reports alleging an internal shake-up in the PGF leadership. The reports claimed that the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, had emerged as the new leader of the forum following a purported meeting held on Thursday night.
However, governors who attended a closed-door meeting at the Imo Lodge in Abuja on Friday debunked the reports, insisting that the forum remains united and firmly behind Uzodimma’s leadership.
Governors present 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 Governor of Taraba State was also reported to have attended briefly before leaving after a short engagement with the host governor.
Leading the motion for the vote of confidence, Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, reaffirmed that Uzodimma and Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, remain the substantive chairman and deputy chairman of the forum respectively.
“We don’t have any problem justifying what they have said. So, I want to seize this opportunity to cast a vote of confidence in our chairman and his deputy,” Idris stated.
Also speaking with journalists after the meeting, Uba Sani described reports of disunity within the forum as false and misleading.
“All of us woke up to that very unfortunate story, which was virtually in all the media in Nigeria. But the truth is that the APC Progressive Governors’ Forum remains very united,” he said.
Sani further stressed that APC governors remain fully supportive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and committed to strengthening the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We are stronger now than at any other time. We are all supporting the President for what he has been doing. The APC is united, the governors are united, the forum is united, and there is no problem at all,” he added.
Reaffirming the forum’s position, Uzodimma said APC governors remain focused on governance, party unity, and preparations for the party’s primaries ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, the governors resolved to intensify efforts toward delivering good governance, expanding social intervention programmes, and implementing people-oriented policies aimed at improving the welfare of Nigerians while consolidating support for the ruling party.
“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,” Uzodimma said.
He added: “We have decided to work harder, look after our people, demonstrate performance, and provide all the necessary social interventions that will make Nigerians happy. That is, in fact, the resolution we came up with this afternoon.”
