2027: Tinubu’s re-election campaign ‘ll base on ideas, engagement, performance – APC Stakeholders

The Concerned National APC Stakeholders Forum, Thursday, stated that the re-election campaign of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be on ideas, engagement, persuasion and performance and not intimidation or abuse.

This is coming as the forum inaugurated state coordinators tagged Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Canassers.

In his address, National Coordinator of the Forum, Dr. Dominic Alancha, charged the State Coordinator to understand that the strength of the organisation will ultimately be measured by what happens at the polling-unit level during the 2027 general elections.

According to him, the Concerned National APC Stakeholders Forum reaffirm commitment to the ideals of the All Progressives Congress and determination to contribute meaningfully to the success of the party in the 2027 general election.

He said: “We recognise that the road to 2027 will not be without challenges. There will be political competition, criticism, disagreements and attempts to weaken our structure. But we are prepared. We will organised. We will mobilise. We will communicate.
We will engage. And we will work tirelessly at the grassroots.

Our message to Nigerians is simple:
Let us judge leadership by its record, policies, direction and capacity to deliver—not merely by political rhetoric.

“Our campaign must be a campaign of ideas, engagement, persuasion and performance—not intimidation or abuse.”

Speaking on the mandate of the group, Dr. Alancha said elections are won at the grassroots. The people who determine elections are not only those who speak at political rallies or appear on television but men and women in communities; the market women, farmers, artisans, youths, professionals, civil servants, religious leaders, traditional institutions and ordinary citizens who ultimately walk to the polling unit to cast their votes.

“Therefore, if we want to secure victory in 2027, we must take politics beyond Abuja and the state capitals into every ward, community and polling unit.

“That is why we are inaugurating State Coordinators and Grassroots Canvassers today. You are not merely coordinators. You are ambassadors of our movement. You are grassroots communicators. You are vote mobilisers. You are listeners to the people. And you are frontline defenders of the democratic mandate of our party.

“Our responsibility is to engage Nigerians respectfully and honestly on issues. We must explain the policies and programmes of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, communicate the reforms being undertaken, acknowledge the challenges confronting our people and, most importantly, demonstrate why continuity, stability and progressive governance matter to Nigeria’s future.

We must never engage the people with arrogance. We must listen to their concerns. Where Nigerians are angry, we must listen.

Where they are hopeful, we must strengthen that hope. Where they do not understand government policies, we must explain them. And where misinformation is being circulated, we must respond with facts, maturity and civility.”

Alancha however tasked the coordinators to build effective structures across their states, local government areas, wards and polling units.

“Know your communities. Know your people. Identify their concerns. Recruit credible canvassers. Communicate our message. Mobilise eligible voters.
And maintain contact with the people—not only during election season, but continuously.

“If we deliver the polling units, we will deliver the wards. If we deliver the wards, we will deliver the local governments. If we deliver the local governments, we will deliver the states.
And if we deliver the states, we will secure victory in 2027.

“Therefore, I urge every coordinator here today: Do not create unnecessary enemies. Do not insult political opponents. Do not spread unverified information. Do not allow personal ambition to destroy collective interest.
Instead, build bridges. Engage communities. Win people through persuasion. And demonstrate that progressive politics can be conducted with dignity and responsibility.”

In his keynote speech, the guest speaker, Dr. Alabi Femi, who spoke on the theme: “Engendering progressive governance: the role of citizens”, said the inauguration is an opportunity to deepen grassroots engagement and strengthen democratic participation.

“Let us therefore engage the people with respect, communicate with facts, promote unity and support initiatives that contribute to a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria.”