By Solomon OKPO
BENIN, Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under the banner of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), have urged the Federal Government to deepen its economic recovery strategy by expanding investments in critical sectors such as food security, job creation, MSME growth, and social protection.
The call was made in a communiqué issued at the end of the Forum’s inaugural regional meeting, held in Benin City, Edo State, on Saturday, June 28. The session also marked the formal admission of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, into the APC Governors Forum.
Reading the communiqué on behalf of the Forum, Chairman and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, emphasized the need to translate recent economic growth into broad-based development outcomes. He noted that the rise in fiscal transfers to states and growing investor confidence in the Nigerian economy were encouraging signs that must be sustained.
The Forum pledged to strengthen inter-state cooperation to deliver productivity-enhancing infrastructure and support grassroots development initiatives, particularly for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
On the security front, the governors praised the efforts of security agencies in combating crime and defending national sovereignty. They expressed condolences to families affected by violence in Benue and Niger States and backed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s security agenda, including his intervention in Benue.
They called for greater inter-agency coordination, community policing initiatives, improved grassroots intelligence, and investments in surveillance infrastructure. The welfare of frontline security personnel was also highlighted as a priority.
The governors described the APC as the most structurally consistent and reform-driven political platform in Nigeria, citing its electoral success and commitment to national unity. Reacting to the recent resignation of the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, they lauded the development as a testament to the party’s internal democratic resilience.
Reaffirming their loyalty to President Tinubu’s leadership, the governors vowed to work collaboratively across geopolitical zones to drive bold reforms, strengthen public institutions, and accelerate national development.
The meeting concluded with a courtesy visit to the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II, who charged the governors to be agents of national transformation. A town hall session with APC stakeholders from across the country rounded off the two-day event.
