As part of moves to douse tension ahead of the 2027 general election, governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have resolved to hold an emergency strategic meeting with the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda.
The high-stake intervention follows a marathon meeting of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) in Abuja, which dragged into the early hours of Tuesday, as the state executives scrambled to manage the explosive fallout of the party’s nationwide primaries.
The APC’s primary elections, held earlier in the year, were marred by allegations of candidate imposition, altered delegate lists, and irregular voting processes. The rancor escalated into parallel primaries in several states, with defeated aspirants threatening mass defections and protracted legal battles.
Addressing journalists immediately after the session, the chairman of the PGF and governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodimma, acknowledged that the Forum had thoroughly reviewed the primaries, alongside the party’s recent outings in the Ekiti State governorship election and various by-elections.
“We reviewed the outcome of the primaries across the federation, the Ekiti governorship election, and the various by-elections where our party performed impressively,” Uzodimma stated.
“The results from these outings are encouraging as we look toward to the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections.”
Despite the optimistic front, sources within the meeting indicated that the governors are deeply concerned that unresolved grievances from the primaries could derail the ruling party’s fortunes. To mitigate this, Uzodimma revealed that the Forum will directly engage the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to enforce reconciliation.
“We have resolved to engage the APC national leadership, led by Prof. Yilwatda, to harmonise strategies for the next phase of the party’s campaign and strengthen internal cohesion before the general election,” Uzodimma explained. “We must work closely with the NWC to strengthen the party’s structures and improve our overall readiness for future elections.”
Beyond the internal party friction, the PGF chairman noted that the governors also deliberated on broader issues of governance and national stability, conscious of the public frustration over the current socio-economic climate.
“We did not just look at the elections; we looked at the state of the nation. We have resolved to work towards solving the challenges facing our democratic space and ensuring that our people are better off. Our ultimate commitment is to ensure that Nigerians benefit more from APC-led administrations,” Uzodimma added.
Among those in attendance were the governors of Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Borno, Zamfara, Taraba, Sokoto, Gombe, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom, and Ekiti states.