Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has said APC governors are set to commence campaign outings following President Bola Tinubu’s return from his working leave.
Uzodimma disclosed this on Sunday after meeting with Tinubu at the President’s Lagos residence, where he briefed him on developments in the country and the activities of APC governors during his absence.
He said the governors had also been working to communicate the achievements and policies of the Tinubu administration to Nigerians ahead of renewed political mobilisation.
“The President has just come back from a working leave. And while he was away, we were working in Nigeria. And it is only fair that he is briefed on the happenings in the country and given an interim report on the issues on the ground.
“I came and briefed him. We had a very quality conversation, and he is now aware of what happened while he was away and the efforts of the Governors of Progressive Forum in making sure that Nigerians are properly aware of the achievements of his government and the policies.
“We referred straight to our campaign outing, which will start almost immediately since he is now back. So it was a quality conversation, a quality meeting I had with Mr. President,” Uzodimma said.
The PGF chairman said the governors had taken direction from Tinubu’s recent Independence Day broadcast and would now focus on ensuring that the benefits of the administration’s economic reforms reached ordinary Nigerians.
“We have already taken cue from that broadcast, and that is exactly what we are doing. The reform policy has moved from implementation to ensuring that the people of Nigeria get the dividends of the reform policy itself,” he said.
Uzodimma cited the Federal Government’s compressed natural gas (CNG) initiative, saying lower operating costs should translate into reduced transport fares for commuters.
He urged transport operators to pass the savings on to passengers.
“The transporters and commuters should also be responsible in ensuring that, since the cost of transportation has been reduced by the introduction of CNG, they should now also reduce the fare they charge passengers. That way, it becomes a win-win situation,” he said.
The governor said APC governors would focus not only on promoting the reform agenda but also on ensuring that citizens experienced its benefits.
“So we are not going to only sit here and sing the songs of reform. We are going to make sure that the benefits… the real beneficiaries of the reform policy are the people. That the masses will feel the impact. That these policies, the dividends, should be impactful,” he said.
Uzodimma also cited Imo State’s finances as an example of what he described as the impact of the reforms, saying the state had moved from struggling to meet obligations after paying salaries to having resources for projects.
“In 2021, I became the Governor without President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his reform policies. It was difficult at the end of every month after paying salaries. That is, if we managed to pay salaries, we had money to run the state.
“Today, we pay salaries as we do, and we have money to do all the achievements that we have recorded in the state. It is not only in my state. Every other state. Most of our Governors are very active, with a lot of projects here and there,” he said.
He said the governors remained grateful to Tinubu for the reforms but recognised the need to ensure that increased resources and other benefits translated into tangible improvements in Nigerians’ daily lives.
The meeting comes as the APC prepares for intensified political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections. The State House had earlier confirmed that Tinubu’s working vacation was expected to be followed by renewed political engagements ahead of the election.
