The Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), comprising governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has formally acknowledged the resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, describing it as “a natural step” in the party’s ongoing internal reforms.

In a communiqué issued at the end of their two-day strategic meeting in Benin City, Edo State, on Saturday, the governors said the leadership change aligns with the APC’s broader commitment to adaptation and institutional strengthening.

Reading the communiqué, PGF Chairman and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, said, “This meeting provided a crucial platform to harmonise development strategies, reinforce party cohesion, and reaffirm our Forum’s dedication to people-centred development, institutional accountability, and inter-governmental collaboration.”

He added, “The APC remains the most institutionally coherent political platform in Nigeria, with unmatched records of reforms, electoral success, and national unity, signalling the party’s confidence in its enduring appeal.”

On Ganduje’s exit, the communiqué stated, “His Excellency, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s resignation is in tandem with the party’s continued evolution,” framing the development as part of a strategic repositioning rather than a crisis.

The communiqué was signed by Fred Itua, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State.

A major highlight of the meeting was the formal reception of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, into the APC. The governors described his decision, along with that of his supporters, as reflective of “a growing national consensus on the transformative policies being executed by President Tinubu’s administration.”

The PGF conducted a wide-ranging review of Nigeria’s economic, social, security, and political trajectory. They expressed satisfaction with renewed coordination between the federal and state governments and commended recent macroeconomic policies, including fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate unification, and debt rationalisation.

However, the governors emphasised the need for a shift towards equity and inclusion. “While economic indicators show signs of recovery, growth must be further democratised through expanded investments in food security, job creation, poverty eradication, MSMEs, and social safety nets,” the communiqué noted.

They reaffirmed the role of sub-national governments in driving economic renewal and committed to deepening economic decentralisation in line with Section 13 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Welcoming the increase in fiscal transfers to states and rising investor confidence, the Forum concluded that “multiple APC-led states are now attracting significant domestic and foreign direct investments, which is a testament to the enabling environment being created.”