By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

A deepening leadership crisis has split the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), the body of state governors elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC), into rival factions.

The incumbent chairman, Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo State, maintains that he remains in charge of the forum alongside his deputy, Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna State. However, a competing bloc has reportedly coalesced around Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun State, and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara State.

Governors aligned with the Abiodun-AbdulRazaq camp hail from Adamawa, Zamfara, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, Niger, Kwara, Plateau, Enugu, and Katsina states.

On the other side, governors backing Uzodimma include those from Kano, Taraba, Kebbi, Yobe, Lagos, Gombe, Kogi, Edo, Ekiti, Ondo, Sokoto, Jigawa, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, and Kaduna states.

On Friday, the governors supporting Uzodimma passed a vote of confidence in his leadership during what was described as an emergency meeting at the Imo State Lodge in Abuja. The gathering occurred just hours after the PGF denied reports that Uzodimma had been removed as chairman.

Governors present at the meeting included Umar Namadi (Jigawa), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Abba Yusuf (Kano), Ahmed Ododo (Kogi), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Ahmad Aliyu (Sokoto), Agbu Kefas (Taraba), Uba Sani (Kaduna), and Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo). Emmanuel Akabe, deputy governor of Nasarawa State, attended on behalf of his principal.

Earlier reports had claimed that Peter Mbah, governor of Enugu State, emerged as the new chairman of the PGF following an extraordinary meeting of APC governors in Abuja on Thursday night. According to those reports, about 20 governors—including those from Ogun, Bayelsa, and Enugu states—attended the closed-door session, which was said to have resulted in Mbah succeeding Uzodimma.

As of the time of this report, the precise cause of the disagreement remains unclear, and neither faction has issued a detailed official statement explaining the split.

From Abbas Yushau Yusuf

As a result of diligent and transparent consensus supervised by the Kano state Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, between aspirants for House of Representatives seat from Tarauni federal constituency, the former Senior Special Assistant to the President, on Citizenship and Leadership, Nasir Bala Aminu (Ja’o’ji), picks the ticket.

He will contest in the forthcoming 2027 general election, under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), as he got the endorsement of sixteen (16) out of nineteen (19) stakeholders, from the constituency.

As Ja’oji’s opponents accepted consensus as the easiest way for victory, governor Yusuf, assured them of carrying all, as partners in progress in his administration. Thanking them for their foresight in the patriotic effort they exhibited.

On his part, Ja’oji thanked all the stakeholders and other party faithful, for the good understanding they show before and during the consensus period. Urging them to support the candidature for the betterment of the people of Tarauni, and Kano in general.

“I assure you of my total commitment and loyalty to your cause. Which is ultimately ours and party’s. I will also make sure that I always consult those who were there before us, in our legislative engagement,” he pledged.

As his nomination form, has already been handed over to him, by the governor, he thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for supporting youth inclusion in politics and governance.

Adding that, “As one of the pillars of Renewed Hope Initiative, youth inclusion, I will not relent in assuring our youth that, they will have a competent and committed Ambassador to the National Assembly. I will also make our able President appreciate our timely inclusion.”

Other opponents were reported to have appreciated governor Yusuf’s elderly intervention in the entire consensus process. Promising to support Ja’oji with all their political strength and influence.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The National Pension Commission has said that only seven states and the Federal Capital Territory are fully implementing pension reform laws despite widespread adoption of contributory pension frameworks across the country.

The Director-General of the National Pension Commission, Mrs Omolola Oloworaran, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the maiden edition of the bi-annual consultative session for heads of service of states yet to adopt or fully implement the Contributory Pension Scheme or the Contributory Defined Benefits Scheme.

She said, “Out of the 36 states with pension reform laws on their books, only seven states, together with the Federal Capital Territory, are fully implementing these laws.”

The session was organised to encourage dialogue with affected state heads of service and to explore practical ways in which PenCom could provide technical support for the successful adoption and implementation of pension reforms at the sub-national level.

According to Oloworaran, 30 states and the FCT had enacted laws on the contributory pension scheme or the contributory defined benefits scheme, while six states still had pension reform bills awaiting passage in their state assemblies.

She noted that 23 states had pension laws that were either inactive or only partially implemented, leaving many civil servants uncertain about their retirement future.

“That leaves 23 states whose laws are written, inactive, or only partially being implemented. Twenty-three sets of public servants or civil servants whose retirement future hangs in the balance, not because there is no law, but because the law has not been activated,” she said.

The PenCom boss described pension reform as a constitutional and fiscal obligation rather than a policy option, citing Section 210 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees pension rights for civil servants.

She said the old pension structure had failed because it created uncertainty and unsustainable liabilities, adding that the contributory pension scheme was introduced to promote accountability, sustainability, and transparency in pension administration.

Oloworaran stressed that the main challenge facing many states was no longer the passage of pension laws but the discipline required for implementation, including regular remittance of pension contributions and adequate funding of accrued pension rights.

“Across our states, the challenge is no longer the enactment of laws. The challenge is the discipline of execution. It is the regular and timely remittance of contributions. It is the adequate and consistent funding of accrued pension rights,” she stated.

She urged heads of service to see pension reform as part of their governance legacy, noting that the success or failure of implementation in states would largely depend on their commitment.