Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have resolved to hold an emergency strategic meeting with the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, in a bid to address growing tensions following the party’s primaries ahead of the 2027 general election.

The decision followed a marathon meeting of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) in Abuja, which lasted into the early hours of Tuesday as the governors reviewed the outcome of the party’s nationwide primaries and their implications.

The APC primaries were dogged by allegations of candidate imposition, manipulation of delegate lists and irregularities in the voting process, with disputes in several states leading to parallel primaries. Some unsuccessful aspirants have also threatened to defect from the party or seek legal redress.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, said the governors had undertaken a comprehensive review of the conduct of the primaries.

He added that the meeting also assessed the party’s performance in the recent Ekiti State governorship election and various by-elections, as the APC intensifies preparations for future electoral contests.

According to Uzodimma, the planned meeting with the national chairman is aimed at strengthening internal cohesion, addressing grievances arising from the primaries and ensuring the party remains united ahead of the 2027 polls.

“We reviewed the outcome of the primaries across the federation, the Ekiti governorship election, and the various by-elections where our party performed impressively,” Uzodimma stated.

“The results from these outings are encouraging as we look toward the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.”

Despite the optimistic front, sources within the meeting indicated that the governors are deeply concerned that unresolved grievances from the primaries could derail the ruling party’s fortunes. To mitigate this, Uzodimma revealed that the forum will directly engage the APC National Working Committee (NWC) to enforce reconciliation.

“We have resolved to engage the APC national leadership, led by Prof. Yilwatda, to harmonise strategies for the next phase of the party’s campaign and strengthen internal cohesion before the general election,” Uzodimma explained. “We must work closely with the NWC to strengthen the party’s structures and improve our overall readiness for future elections.”

Beyond the internal party friction, the PGF chairman noted that the governors also deliberated on broader issues of governance and national stability, conscious of the public frustration over the current socio-economic climate. (The Nation)