Governors elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) have described the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, as a strategic step to reposition and strengthen the ruling party ahead of future challenges.

Ganduje, who stepped down on Friday, was praised by the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) for prioritising the party’s future and reform agenda. His resignation was discussed during a two-day PGF strategy session held in Benin City, Edo State.

In a communiqué read by PGF Chairman and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, the governors said Ganduje’s exit was not a sign of internal crisis, but a reflection of the APC’s maturity and adaptability.

“His Excellency, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s resignation is in tandem with the party’s continued evolution,” the statement said. “The meeting provided a platform to harmonise development strategies, reinforce party cohesion, and reaffirm our commitment to institutional accountability and people-centred governance.”

The governors reiterated that the APC remains Nigeria’s most organised and reform-driven party, pointing to its electoral strength and growing national reach.

A major highlight of the meeting was the formal defection of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, to the APC an event the governors hailed as a major boost to the Tinubu-led administration.

The PGF also reviewed the country’s economic, political, and security climate, praising federal and state-level cooperation, as well as ongoing fiscal reforms, including the fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate unification, and national debt restructuring.

However, the forum called for broader inclusion in economic policy and urged investments in food security, job creation, MSME support, poverty eradication, and social protection.

Backing economic decentralisation as enshrined in Section 13 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the governors stressed the role of sub-national governments in driving national development.

“Several APC-led states are now attracting significant domestic and foreign direct investments, which is a testament to the enabling environments being created,” the PGF noted.