LAGOS — The South East Chapter of the All Progressives Congress has launched a vigorous defense of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, labeling recent allegations of a ₦800 billion fund diversion as spurious, baseless, and a calculated attempt at political character assassination. The party maintains that the claims are a desperate reaction to the governor's recent indication that he may seek to return to the National Assembly in the 2027 general elections.
In a comprehensive statement released in Lagos on Wednesday, signed by the National Vice-Chairman (South-East) of the APC, Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu, the party chapter asserted that Uzodimma remains unwavering in his commitment to delivering good governance and sustainable development. The party further contended that the accusations were professionally masterminded by political detractors seeking to undermine the governor’s rising profile and his potential candidacy for the Imo East senatorial seat.
According to the South East APC leadership, the timing of these allegations is not coincidental. The party noted that it has observed a coordinated smear campaign since Governor Uzodimma expressed interest in heeding the call of his constituents to return to the Senate. The statement emphasized that the governor, as an eligible Nigerian citizen, is constitutionally qualified to contest for any elective office and should not be subjected to blackmail for exercising his democratic rights.
The controversy centers on reports alleging that Governor Uzodimma—who serves as the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF)—diverted ₦800 billion purportedly contributed by APC governors to fund President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign. These reports suggested that the alleged mismanagement of these funds had sparked an internal crisis within the PGF.
However, the South East APC described these claims as not only factually incorrect but logically untenable. The party pointed out that the current legal framework governing Nigerian elections strictly prohibits active political campaigning until September of the year preceding the election. Therefore, the party argued, it is practically impossible to divert or misappropriate resources for an exercise that has neither legally commenced nor reached a stage requiring such massive funding. No formal campaign fund for the President’s re-election has been established since the electioneering period has not commenced, the statement read. With the legal restriction on political campaigns still in force, it is absurd to suggest that resources are being mobilized and diverted for a non-existent campaign fund.
Furthermore, the chapter clarified the operational nature of the Progressive Governors Forum, stating that the PGF is a policy-focused body and not a campaign organization. The APC leadership stressed that any financial contributions intended for a presidential re-election would traditionally be directed to an official Presidential Campaign Organization and would never be domiciled in a PGF account.
The South East APC also took aim at the sheer scale of the ₦800 billion figure cited in the reports. By breaking down the mathematics of the allegation, the party sought to expose what it called the absurdity of the claim. If the figure were true, it would imply that each of the roughly 31 members associated with the PGF at various levels would have had to contribute approximately ₦26 billion.
This figure is not only unrealistic but laughable, Dr. Arodiogbu stated. No governor, regardless of political affiliation, would commit such a colossal sum to a national campaign while simultaneously prosecuting their own re-election or other critical state-level political activities. The arithmetic simply does not add up. The party insisted that Governor Uzodimma has maintained an enviable record of transparency and accountability throughout his public service career. They argued that he has never been credibly linked to financial impropriety and that his administration in Imo State continues to prioritize the welfare of the people over partisan war chests.
In a direct challenge to those behind the reports, the South East APC advised the opposition to desist from the ongoing attempts to discredit prominent leaders of the ruling party. The chapter noted with satisfaction that mainstream and responsible media outlets had largely ignored the report, which they attributed to a glaring lack of substance and verifiable evidence.
The statement urged political rivals to redirect their energies and financial resources toward offering Nigerians credible policy alternatives and innovative programs. The party suggested that the nation’s challenges require tangible solutions rather than what it termed fictitious propaganda designed to mislead the public. Nigerians are sophisticated enough to distinguish between genuine governance and cheap political fiction, the chapter stated, adding that the electorate is increasingly weary of fake news intended to distract from the developmental strides being made in the South East region.
As the political atmosphere begins to heat up ahead of the 2027 cycle, this confrontation serves as a stark reminder of the intense internal and external pressures facing the ruling party’s leadership. For Governor Uzodimma, the focus remains on his dual role as a state executive and a key national strategist for the APC. The party’s South East wing concluded its defense by reaffirming its total support for the governor, vowing that no amount of politically masterminded noise would derail the Renewed Hope agenda in Imo State or the wider region.
The South East APC’s dismissal of the ₦800 billion allegation marks a significant moment in the pre-2027 narrative, as the party seeks to close ranks and protect its most influential figures from the anticipated surge of election-year rhetoric. With the publication of the APC's cleared aspirants list looming and the internal dynamics of the Progressive Governors Forum under the microscope, the defense of Uzodimma is as much about party stability as it is about the individual reputation of the Imo State Governor.
