Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, says the Forum has held a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, focused on strategies to strengthen the All Progressives Congress party and expand its grassroots support.
Speaking to journalists after the closed-door session, which took place ahead of Thursday’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ruling party, Uzodinma revealed that the meeting involved 24 APC governors, with the governors of Katsina and Akwa Ibom states represented by their deputies.
“We came as a group to formally condole the passing of the former President Muhammadu Buhari and also to discuss the upcoming National Executive Committee meeting of our party tomorrow,” Uzodinma stated.
In addition to party repositioning, the PGF Chairman noted that the discussions included strategies to reinforce the APC at all levels. He added that the governors also took the opportunity to formally express condolences to President Tinubu over the recent passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We also shared some ideas with Mr. President on how best to strengthen our party at the grassroots, at the local government, at the state level, up to the national level. It was just a convivial discussion with Mr. President towards strengthening our party and to be able to help serve Nigeria better,” he said.
When questioned about Thursday’s APC NEC meeting, whether it would result in a consensus on appointing a new national chairman for the party, Uzodinma was non-committal. He stated that the outcome would only be clear after the meeting.
“It is a National Executive Committee meeting; we cannot say what the outcome will be. When you come there tomorrow, you will see it,” he said.
The APC NEC is expected to deliberate on key matters affecting the party’s structure and leadership, and also further set the agenda of Thursday’s APC NEC proceedings, where key party leadership decisions are anticipated.
Olusola Akintonde