ABUJA — The Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), once the solid backbone of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is currently facing a trial of unity that threatens to redefine the party’s internal power dynamics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
What began as whispers of discontent erupted into a full-blown leadership crisis this week, leaving the forum with two contending factions and a cloud of uncertainty over its chairmanship.
The drama reached a boiling point on Thursday night when a faction of governors, reportedly led by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, gathered at the Ogun State Government Lodge in Abuja.
In a move that caught many by surprise, the group announced the removal of the incumbent PGF Chairman and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma. In a further twist, the group purportedly installed Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, as his successor.
The “palace coup” was swift, but the pushback was swifter.
By Friday morning, the political atmosphere in the capital was charged as a rival bloc of 18 governors loyal to Uzodinma converged on the Imo State Governor’s Lodge. In a defiant show of force, the group—including the governors of Lagos, Kaduna, Borno, Kogi, and Kano—passed a unanimous vote of confidence in Uzodinma’s leadership.
Emerging from the closed-door session, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani sought to project an image of stability.
“The APC Progressive Governors’ Forum is very united. We are stronger now than at any other time,” he told reporters. “There is no problem at all.”
Despite these assurances, the cracks are hard to hide. The Director-General of the Forum, Folorunso Aluko, has since dismissed the removal reports as “fake news,” yet sources within the party confirm that the parallel meetings were very real, born out of brewing tensions over the forum’s direction and administrative style.
This internal friction comes at a delicate time. Only a day prior, the governors had presented a united front while submitting President Bola Tinubu’s expression of interest forms for the 2027 polls. The sudden emergence of “parallel chairmen” suggests that beneath the surface of party loyalty, a fierce struggle for influence is underway.
As the PGF grapples with this internal rebellion, party stakeholders are watching closely. The big question remains: Is this a momentary lapse in communication among the governors, or is it the first sign of a major structural crack that could hamper the APC’s cohesion as the next election cycle draws near?
For now, the PGF finds itself in a precarious position, with both sides digging in their heels, leaving the “progressive” family to wonder who truly holds the gavel.
