Leaders of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, February 25, 2026, resolved to implement a unified messaging strategy and disciplined communication framework as the party positions itself for victory in the 2027 general elections.
The decision was reached at the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF)–Renewed Hope Ambassadors Strategic Summit held at the State House Conference Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda emphasized that translating governance achievements into electoral success requires structured, coherent, and aggressive communication backed by strong grassroots mobilisation.
“Good governance without communication is invisible. Communication without structure is noise. And politics without grassroots mobilization is an organised defeat,” Yilwatda declared.
He announced that the party would roll out a comprehensive unified messaging guide to ensure consistency in narratives across federal, state, and local structures. The chairman warned party members and officials against contradictory statements, internal sabotage, or public criticism that could undermine the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Unity is strategic power ahead of 2027,” he stressed. “We cannot afford to fight ourselves in public while our opponents watch and exploit the divisions.”
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who chairs the Progressive Governors’ Forum, echoed the need for better alignment between policy delivery and public perception.
“The problem is not policy failure. The problem is a communication failure. And that failure is on us,” Uzodimma said.
He described the summit as a deliberate effort to close the gap between the administration’s reform outcomes and how those reforms are understood and appreciated by ordinary Nigerians.
Among the key resolutions adopted at the summit were:
- Institutionalisation of grassroots engagement templates to strengthen ward- and polling-unit-level structures.
- Accelerated membership registration and revalidation drives nationwide.
- Establishment of a structured national monitoring framework to coordinate, track, and enforce unified messaging across all party platforms and officials.
- Training programmes for party spokespersons, media aides, and grassroots mobilisers on disciplined communication.
- Regular coordination meetings between the national secretariat, state chapters, and Progressive Governors’ Forum to prevent messaging drift.
The summit also reaffirmed support for President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, security efforts, and infrastructure drive, urging party leaders to highlight tangible impacts—such as moderating inflation, improving forex stability, expanding road and rail networks, and increasing security deployments—while addressing public concerns transparently.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who addressed the summit earlier, had set the tone by declaring 2026 as the year of “acceleration” following 2025’s stabilisation phase, pointing to the record N58.18 trillion 2026 budget as the fiscal foundation for rapid progress.
The renewed emphasis on unity and messaging discipline comes amid internal tensions within the APC, including factional disputes in some states, public criticism from certain party elders, and growing opposition narratives ahead of 2027. Party leaders appear determined to present a cohesive front and convert policy gains into electoral capital.
The APC national leadership is expected to begin implementing the unified messaging guide and grassroots templates in the coming weeks, with progress reports to be reviewed at subsequent PGF and National Executive Committee meetings.
As Nigeria’s political calendar intensifies toward 2027, Tuesday’s summit signals the ruling party’s strategic pivot toward disciplined communication, internal reconciliation, and aggressive grassroots reorganisation.
