Eighteen members of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), the umbrella body of serving governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Friday passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, dismissing reports of a change in the leadership of the forum.
The development followed reports on Thursday night that Uzodimma had been removed as Chairman of the PGF and replaced by Enugu State Governor, Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.
Governor Mbah’s reported emergence had been seen in some quarters as a major political development within the ruling party ahead of ongoing consultations and strategic alignments in the APC.
However, addressing journalists after a closed-door meeting held at the Imo Lodge in Abuja on Friday, the governors physically present at the meeting reaffirmed their support for Uzodimma’s leadership and dismissed reports of any leadership change in the forum.
Governors present at the meeting included those of Ondo, Kaduna, Taraba, Sokoto, Ebonyi, Borno, Lagos, Kogi, Kano, Yobe, Kebbi, Benue and Jigawa states, while Nasarawa State was represented by the deputy governor. Governor of Taraba State was said to have attended briefly before leaving after meeting with his host.
Moving the motion for the vote of confidence, Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, declared that Governor Uzodimma and Kaduna State Governor, 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 use this opportunity to move a vote of confidence on our chairman and his deputy,” Idris stated.
Also speaking, Governor Uba Sani described reports of disunity within the forum as unfortunate and misleading.
“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.
“We are stronger now than at any other time. And, of course, we are all supporting our President for what he has been doing.
“We also want to assure everyone that the APC is united, governors are united, the forum is united and there is no problem at all,” he said.
While dismissing speculation of disunity within the APC, Governor Uzodimma said the party remained focused and committed to the forthcoming primaries and the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Governors of the Progressive Congress are all united and resolved to support Mr. President and to ensure that he comes out successfully during the upcoming elections in January 2027.
“So, we have decided to work harder, look after our people, show performance and provide all the necessary social interventions that will make Nigerians happy. That is, in fact, the resolution we arrived at this afternoon,” Uzodinma said.
