Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Hope Uzodimma, has disclosed that he briefed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on developments in the country during the President's recent working leave. The meeting took place at the President's Lagos residence. Uzodimma stated that it was necessary to update the President on happenings in Nigeria while he was away.
The Progressive Governors Forum recently clashed with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over the Rainbow Coalition being promoted ahead of the 2027 elections. The PGF had expressed its position that its members would not support any political alliance or arrangement capable of weakening the APC or adversely affecting its candidates in the 2027 elections. Uzodimma emphasized that the governors' campaign commitment was exclusively to APC candidates.
Wike, however, maintained that the Rainbow Coalition was focused on supporting Tinubu's re-election while allowing politicians to retain their party identities and support candidates in other contests. Despite the disagreement, Uzodimma said he had a quality conversation with the President, briefing him on the happenings in the country and providing an interim report on the issues on ground.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss the efforts of the Progressive Governors Forum in communicating the achievements and policies of the Tinubu administration to Nigerians. Uzodimma stated that the governors had taken their cue from the President's broadcast and were now focused on ensuring that Nigerians felt the impact of the reforms.
According to Uzodimma, the reform policy has moved from implementation to ensuring that the people of Nigeria get the dividends of the reform policy itself. He cited the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative as an example, noting that transport operators should pass on the savings from the reduced cost of CNG to commuters through lower transportation fares.
Uzodimma also said the reforms had improved the finances of state governments, enabling them to pay salaries and execute development projects. He recalled that when he became governor, it was difficult for the state government to have sufficient funds to run the state after paying salaries. Today, most state governors are active, with a lot of projects underway, he added.
The PGF chairman expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for the reforms, stressing that the governors were committed to ensuring that the benefits of the reforms reached ordinary Nigerians. Key initiatives, such as the CNG, aim to make life easier for Nigerians, with governors working to ensure that the dividends of democracy are felt across the country.
Key points
- Uzodimma briefed President Tinubu on recent developments in Nigeria, including the Progressive Governors Forum's efforts to communicate the administration's achievements to Nigerians.
- The Progressive Governors Forum recently clashed with Minister Nyesom Wike over the Rainbow Coalition being promoted ahead of the 2027 elections.
- The reforms have improved state governments' finances, enabling them to pay salaries and execute development projects.
