Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma, has said governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress will work to secure President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 presidential election.
Uzodimma made this known on Thursday after APC governors met with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, following the 160th meeting of the National Economic Council.
Speaking on behalf of the governors, Uzodimma said the meeting focused on both governance and politics, with much of the discussion centred on measures to improve the living conditions of Nigerians.
“We spoke basically on two issues: one, politics, and the other, governance,” he said.
He said the governors discussed ways to reduce the cost of living, including transportation and food prices, while also looking at agriculture and how the benefits of the Federal Government’s reforms could reach more Nigerians.
“Governance, which took most of the time, is about how to reduce the cost of living in Nigeria, the cost of transportation, food security, agriculture, bringing prosperity to the people, ensuring that the dividends of the various reforms we have gotten over the years trickle down to the people, so the people can feel it,” Uzodimma said.
According to him, the governors also assessed the impact of the reforms and identified areas where improvements were still required.
On the 2027 election, Uzodimma said Tinubu formally briefed the governors about the constitution of the Presidential Campaign Council, which he said received their support.
“What we have agreed with Mr President is that he will be delivered. All the APC governors are solidly behind Mr President,” he said.
He added that governors would be responsible for mobilising support and delivering their respective states for the President.
“To that extent, governors are expected to deliver their states, and they know where the shoe pinches,” Uzodimma said.
He said the governors would work with other party leaders to determine what would be required to run effective campaigns across their states.
“The responsibility of delivering the election lies on the shoulders of the governors at the subnational level, and it is a combination of what happens at the subnational level and the push at the national level that will yield the result we are looking for,” he said.
Uzodimma also reaffirmed the governors’ support for Tinubu’s re-election and the success of the APC in the 2027 elections.
“We are in total agreement, and we are united. We are supporting Mr President’s re-election and we are supporting the success of the election,” he said.
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, also said Tinubu used the meeting to emphasise the importance of gas utilisation, particularly the expansion of compressed natural gas initiatives.
Sule said the President also stressed the need for party unity, national unity and poverty reduction.
“Mr President continued to emphasise the unity of the party, the unity of the country, reduction of poverty in this country, and what governors must do to ensure that we do everything possible to reduce poverty and to make sure that we carry everybody along,” Sule said.
He similarly said governors would take the lead in campaigning for the President in their respective states.
“Elections are not in Abuja. They are at the states. So the governors take the lead in this campaign at the various states,” Sule said.
The meeting came days after the APC released the list of its Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 election. Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were named chairman and vice chairman respectively, while former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari was appointed Director-General and Uzodimma Secretary.
The Independent National Electoral Commission officially opened the campaign period for the 2027 general election on August 19.