How alleged N800 billion raised by APC governors fueled push for Uzodinma’s removal
How alleged N800 billion raised by APC governors fueled push for Uzodinma’s removal
An exclusive report by THEWILL Newspaper claims that the plot to remove Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma from his position as the chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) stemmed from alleged misappropriation of over N800 billion reportedly raised by the members of the PGF to financially support president Tinubu’s reelection campaign.
According to the report, president Tinubu has waded in to resolve the feud and restore legitimacy to the Hope Uzodinma’s and Uba Sani’s leadership of the PGF.
However, before the president’s intervention, the suspicion that governor Hope Uzodinma and Uba Sani misappropriated the alleged funds, resulted in the factionalization of the forum–Kwara state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun and others, sought to replace governor Uzodinma with governor Peter Mbah of Enugu state.
According to the report by THEWILL Newspaper, governor Hope Uzodinma allegedly triggered the suspicion of the members of the PGF by allegedly becoming evasive to calls for him to render account for the funds which were in his custody as the chairman of the forum.
His alleged evasiveness led to the conspiracy against his leadership as well as the failed attempt to replace him by those who felt disgruntled by his leadership lack of transparency and accountability.
Unnamed sources quoted by THEWILL Newspaper claimed that the members of the PGF had agreed to contribute the said funds through a monthly deduction from their respective states’ Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and paid into a bank account under the control of governor Hope Uzodinma for the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA) support group.
Hope Uzodinma is alleged to have conveyed the agreement by the members of the PGF to the then minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Wale Edun, urging him to authorize the monthly deductions from the monthly allocations of the contributing states.
The report further claimed that trouble stated when the members of the PGF sought to implement a proposed campaign strategy for president Tinubu which involves floating another campaign group which was to be funded from the funds raised by the PGF. Hence, when governor Hope Uzodinma was reportedly told to provide funds for the formation of the new campaign group, he allegedly told them that the whole funds have been expended.
