.Uzodimma, Akpabio move motion
.As Ganduje seeks support for president’s economic reforms
…No cabal is controlling Tinubu —Information Minister
CYRIL MBAH, Abuja Bureau Chief and CHIDIMMA UCHEGBU, Abuja
In a bold political declaration that shook the APC National Summit held on Thursday at the State House Banquet Hall, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, stood at the podium, moved the motion and it was adopted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be the All Progressives Congress, APC, sole candidate for the presidency in the 2027 general elections.
Senator Uzodimma, who is the Chairman of the APC Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), was the first to move the motion and 22 governors of the party adopted the president as the sole candidate.
This was followed by the APC Senators and House of Representatives members, who also agreed with a voice vote to adopt President Tinubu as the sole candidate of APC come 2027 presidential election.
Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Uba Sani, who also serves as the PGF vice chairman seconded the motion and a thunderous applause of approval backing his voice echoed in the hall, while the Speaker of the House of Representives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas seconded the motion of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio with lawmakers present acknowledging in the affirmative.
Uzodimma said: “That the governors produced by our All Progressives Congress are hereby charged to take responsibility to market our Federal Government policies, occupy the political space in their domains, and take responsibility for winning all elections in their states come 2027.
“It is therefore my humble pleasure, with total humility, to Almighty God to move that this August assembly adopt and concur the position of Progressive Governors that Mr. President carries our flag in 2027 and governors take responsibility for delivering this mandate. I so move as a motion.”
Governor Sani, while seconding the motion said: “I rise to second the motion as ably moved by the Chairman of Progressives Governors Forum, the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Hope Uzodimma, that this August gathering pass a vote of confidence on our able and amiable president, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a sole candidate of APC come 2027 general election.”
It was very clear at the summit that from the South-East to North-West, the message was clear: the APC stakeholders are not shopping for any alternative candidate as all the six geo-political zones have adopted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in a presentation at the summit gave an overview of the achievements of the government stating that at the heart of the nation’s current political and developmental journey is the Renewed Hope Agenda, which he described as “a bold and necessary blueprint put forth by our leader and President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. “This agenda is not just a political slogan; it is a comprehensive vision aimed at resetting the foundations of governance, restoring economic vibrancy, and instilling a renewed sense of national purpose.”
He said: “When Mr. President campaigned on the Renewed Hope Agenda, he was not offering empty slogans. He was presenting a contract with the Nigerian people, a bold vision for economic revitalization, institutional renewal, and inclusive development.
Barely two years now into his administration, we can confidently say that Renewed Hope is no longer a vision on paper, it is a reality in motion. Therefore, we, as the governing party, must rise as the first and most steadfast defenders and implementers of this vision and as progressives, we must also understand that real transformation often demands courage, sacrifice, and long-term commitment.
“Already, we are seeing signs of stability in macroeconomic indicators, improvement in oil revenue, and increased global investor interest.
“Your Excellencies, the Renewed Hope Agenda must therefore be seen as a collective mission, not the responsibility of the President alone. It is our obligation, across all organs of the APC, to rally behind this agenda with full conviction, to explain it to the people, to defend it with facts, and to ensure that its benefits are felt at every level of society. It is our belief that this forum has provided a policy exchange, where stakeholders, including civil society organisations and academia share innovative ideas on sustaining and accelerating progress across sectors, and indeed, a fair assessment of the journey so far under the Renewed Hope Agenda. Mr. President, I believe that with the various impactful presentations by our resource persons that include Ministers and Presidential Advisers,
“it is indeed a time to celebrate our successes, confront our challenges, and prepare with clarity and resolve, for the responsibilities that lie ahead. Your Excellencies, as you can see, we deliberately and carefully selected critical party stakeholders as participants, so that the summit will serve as a rallying point for party unity and renewed commitment to the goals of the Renewed Hope Agenda. Therefore, we expect every participant to leave this summit energized, better informed, and deeply committed to the next phase of our national journey. It must not end with words. It must produce actionable outcomes that guide our party’s strategy, governance focus, and electoral preparation moving forward. Let us return to our constituencies as Ambassadors of the Renewed Hope Agenda and Apostles of party renewal.
“I believe with unity, clarity of purpose, and hard work, the APC will not only deliver in 2027, it will deepen democracy, entrench equity, and expand the frontiers of development in Nigeria.
“However, to effectively support this national vision, our party itself must be reinvigorated. A strong party is the vehicle through which lasting governance is delivered. That is why we have been working on critical reforms to restructure and modernize the APC. As I stand before you, I must stress this truth: we cannot go into the future divided, unprepared, or reactive. The challenges of our nation require a cohesive, disciplined, and ideologically sound party. Our goal must not only be to win elections, but to lead with purpose, to earn the trust of Nigerians continuously, and to inspire belief in governance again.
“The Economic Revival Strategy under the dynamic leadership of Mr. President, Nigeria has witnessed a courageous and visionary implementation of the Renewed Hope Agenda. From the removal of fuel subsidies to the unification of the foreign exchange market, from targeted interventions in agriculture and infrastructure to bold economic reforms, this administration has taken firm steps to reposition Nigeria on the path of inclusive growth and long-term sustainability. Several short-term economic interventions have also been implemented to mitigate the initial hardships caused by bold reform, as Nigerians have begun to experience some immediate benefits.
“Funds freed up and savings have been redirected towards critical sectors like healthcare, education, infrastructure, and security, and increased allocation to states and local governments. The federal government also approved a new National Minimum Wage from N30,000 to N70,000 for civil servants, initiated Conditional Cash Transfer of N25,000 to 15 million vulnerable households for three months; distribution of palliatives to the vulnerable households across the nation, launching of Compressed Natural Gas Initiative to provide a cheaper alternative to petrol. Over 100,000 vehicles have been converted to use CNG, with plans to convert one million vehicles in the next three years.
Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, there have also been efforts to revive major infrastructural and industrial projects across Nigeria, notably: the continued expansion on the nationwide rail project initiated by the previous government to connect key economic zones. These include: Lagos-Ibadan, Ibadan-Kaduna, Kaduna-Kano, Kano-Daura, Daura-Maradi and Maradi-Jibiya in Niger Republic. The aim is to facilitate seamless movement of goods and people, reduce traffic congestion and boost regional trade, especially in the Northern corridor.
“These are a few scientific interventions by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR under the Renewed Hope Agenda. Accomplishments by the APC: A Decade of Impact.
Your Excellencies, we are gradually transforming the APC from an electoral force into a governing institution. Our successive victories at the presidential level, legislative dominance, and control of the majority of Nigerian states and local governments affirm the trust and confidence Nigerians continue to place in us.
When I assumed office as the National Chairman of the APC, I was well aware of the challenges ahead; internal rifts, structural inconsistencies, external distractions and ideological empress. But with focus, commitment, and collective effort, especially with the support of Mr. President, we are gradually stabilizing the ship, reuniting the fold, and now, we are setting the party towards a clear and coordinated national vision.Thanks to Mr. President, today, we are the ruling party in twenty-two (22) states, controlling the National Assembly, and dominating local government administration in many parts of the country.
“Under my leadership, we have launched the Progressive Institute, which now serves as our ideological hub; a centre for training, policy research, and strategic party development.
“Most importantly, we have ensured seamless party-government alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“We are currently working on a digital membership database for proper identification and inclusion of every member; a modern, transparent, and inclusive party system.
APC’s Political Strategy and the Decline of the Opposition:
“Let me say this with all sense of responsibility that the APC is not just winning elections, it is shaping Nigeria’s political destiny. Today, the opposition, especially the PDP, is gasping for breath. Leadership crises, lack of ideology, and serial defections have reduced it to a shadow of its former self. The so-called “largest party in Africa” is now struggling to maintain relevance.
“We welcome those who are ready to embrace a new vision. But make no mistake: the APC will continue to grow, not out of desperation, but because of its record of performance, its strategic leadership, and its resonance with the aspirations of Nigerians. Political Expansion and Membership Drive.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said President Tinubu is not beholden to any cabal or shadowy inner circle.
Instead, he said, the president welcomes a wide range of perspectives and then makes bold and informed decisions that are solely in the best interest of Nigeria.
Idris stated this in Abuja on Thursday while delivering his address at the APC National Summit with the theme “Renewed Hope Agenda: The Journey So Far.”
“You need to study the president very well. You can have your voice; you can say what you want to say; he will listen to you but his decision is ultimately his own. I think it’s important for us to recognize that,” he said.
Speaking on the theme of the summit, Idris said, President Tinubu remains committed to transforming Nigeria through the Renewed Hope Agenda, describing it as a bold, people-first blueprint that is turning obstacles into opportunities.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda,” the Minister said, “is about positively impacting the lives of the people of Nigeria, through bold decisions designed to unleash the full scale of Nigerian potential, in a way that has never been seen or done before.”
This is contend in the statement issued and signed by the Special Assistant ( Media), Rabiu Ibrahim stating that the Minister recalled that President Tinubu inherited a nation at a crossroads and immediately moved with clarity and courage. “Among the first decisions the President made,” Idris explained, “were the removal of petrol and foreign exchange subsidies, which have been amongst the biggest impediments to Nigeria’s progress, costing us billions of dollars in losses and waste annually.”
The Minister noted that “true leadership involves the ability to make decisions that might be tough in the short term, but are guaranteed to deliver lasting returns.’”
Idris said the outcomes of the president’s reforms are now evident across all sectors through large-scale infrastructure, social investment programmes, revamping of the nation’s mining and petroleum sectors, among others.
“At the federal level, the increased revenues have set a new standard for ambition and execution of large-scale infrastructure projects,” Idris said. He highlighted four signature highways — the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Calabar-Abuja Superhighway, and Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe Highway — totaling more than 2,600km and linking communities and economies across the country.
He said “ another flagship project driving regional integration is the Kano-Kaduna Standard Gauge Railway. This vital corridor is a key component of the Lagos-Kano railway modernization plan and is being delivered as a priority under the Renewed Hope Agenda. In the housing sector, the administration launched the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Projects, an ambitious intervention aimed at addressing the nation’s housing deficit while stimulating job creation and urban renewal.”
The Minister said to support the growing digital economy, the Federal Government is deploying 90,000km of fiber optic cable nationwide, describing it as “unprecedented scale of broadband infrastructure (that) will not only bridge Nigeria’s digital divide but also support smart governance, attract digital investments, and enable secure e-services in education, healthcare, commerce, etc.”
Idris said about 300,000 Nigerian students are now benefitting from the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), while workers are accessing the new Consumer Credit Scheme to buy essential goods.
On security, Idris said, “our military has neutralized and arrested thousands of hostiles and rescued nearly 10,000 hostages. More than 25 new aircraft have been acquired, and the Navy has taken delivery of four new vessels.”
He hailed the president for establishing the Ministry of Livestock Development and Regional Development Commissions across the six geo-political zones in order to modernize and deepen agriculture and also ensure inclusive, zonal development.”
The Minister emphasized that the Renewed Hope Agenda is holistic and people-centered.
“At the other end of every programme and policy of the Tinubu Administration is an ordinary Nigerian whose life is being positively impacted. Nigerian enjoying equitable access to personal or business financing; a Nigerian seeing declining food prices; a Nigerian enjoying cheaper means of transportation, through CNG; a Nigerian grateful for access to on-grid or off-grid electricity through one of the administration’s several power initiatives; a Nigerian whose son or daughter can attend university because of NELFUND,” he said.
Idris highlighted the recent enactment of the Renewed Hope Nigeria First policy that mandates all federal ministries, departments and agencies to give absolute priority to Nigerian goods, services, and know-how when spending public funds.
“This,” he said, “is historically unprecedented, with the ultimate objective being to accelerate industrialization through local production and to insulate the Nigerian economy from global disruptions. Mr President, thank you for this most nationalistic policy, and for laying the foundation of Nigeria’s Economic Renaissance.”
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