The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) was thrown into a leadership crisis on Thursday night following conflicting reports that Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State had emerged as the new chairman, replacing Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma.
However, in a swift move on Friday, 16 APC governors passed a vote of confidence in Uzodimma, dismissing the alleged leadership change as false and misleading.
The dramatic turn of events unfolded just hours after Vice President Kashim Shettima submitted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential nomination forms for the 2027 elections.
Reports emerged that about 20 APC governors had convened an extraordinary meeting in Abuja on Thursday night, where they allegedly passed a vote of no confidence in Uzodimma over accusations of financial impropriety and loss of confidence in his leadership.
According to sources, the governors raised concerns about Uzodimma’s leadership style, alleged financial mismanagement, abuse of office, and his failure to provide satisfactory explanations for the accusations levelled against him .
Governors alleged to have voted against Uzodimma hailed from Adamawa, Zamfara, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, Benue, Niger, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau, Enugu, Ebonyi, Ogun, Borno, Taraba, Katsina, and Kano states, according to sources.
A second faction reportedly backed Uzodimma, comprising governors from Yobe, Lagos, Gombe, Kogi, Edo, Ekiti, Ondo, Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, and Kaduna states.
Vote of Confidence
Spear News Nigeria reports that the PGF Secretariat, through its Director-General Folorunso Aluko, issued a statement on Thursday night denying the reports.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Progressive Governors Forum states categorically that the report is entirely false, baseless, and without an iota of truth,” Aluko declared .
The crisis deepened on Friday when 16 APC governors physically gathered at the Imo State Governors’ Lodge in Abuja to reaffirm their support for Uzodimma’s leadership . Speaking with journalists after a closed-door meeting, Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris moved a motion for a vote of confidence, declaring that Uzodimma and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani remain 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 seek this opportunity to move a vote of confidence on our chairman and his deputy,” Idris stated .
The governors present at the meeting included those from Ondo, Gombe, Kaduna, Taraba, Edo, 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 attended briefly before departing after a short meeting with the host governor .
Governors Deny Division
Kaduna Governor Uba Sani dismissed media reports suggesting a split in the forum as “unfortunate,” insisting the governors remain united and firmly behind President Tinubu.
“What I can say here is that all of us woke up with that very unfortunate story that we have virtually in all the media in Nigeria. But the truth of the matter is that the APC Progressive Governors Forum is very united. We’re stronger now than at any other time,” Sani said .
In his remarks, Uzodimma dismissed speculations of disunity, stressing that the governors were focused on governance, party cohesion, and preparations for the forthcoming elections.
“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 by January 2027.
So we have decided to work harder, look after our people, show performance and provide all the necessary social interventions that make Nigerians happy,” Uzodimma stated .
Despite the show of force by 16 governors, the crisis leaves several questions unanswered. According to some reports, the governors who opposed Uzodimma had informed President Tinubu of their decision, but it remains unclear whether the President has intervened in the matter .
An aide to Governor Mbah, who asked not to be named, said he was unaware of any development regarding the alleged appointment, stating, “I heard the news in the media too. I don’t know anything about it. My principal is in Abuja, and I am in Enugu” .
A second governor who spoke to Premium Times insisted that as far as they were concerned, Uzodimma had been removed and Mbah remains the new chairman .
Political Implications
The conflicting claims of leadership change have triggered fresh political tension within the ruling APC and raised questions about possible divisions among its governors ahead of the 2027 general elections and ongoing consultations over party primaries .
As the PGF finds itself in a state of confusion with competing claims and an unclear leadership hierarchy, political observers are watching closely to see if President Tinubu will step in to resolve the crisis or if the governors will settle the matter internally.
For now, the APC governors’ forum remains deeply split, with 16 governors backing Uzodimma while a rival faction continues to insist a leadership change has already occurred.
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