APC Chairman Urges Lagos Leaders to Close Ranks Ahead of 2027 Elections

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The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has urged party leaders in Lagos State to resolve internal disputes, harmonise campaign structures and strengthen grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.

Yilwatda gave the charge on Monday at the PBAT-KOH Lagos State APC Campaign Council retreat at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, where he called for a coordinated campaign strategy built on unity, discipline and shared responsibility.

Speaking on the theme, “The Road to the Ballot: One Team, One Strength — Building an Effective Campaign for Election Success,” the APC chairman said the party’s strength depended not only on its numbers but also on its organisation, discipline and ability to connect with voters.

He warned that duplication of roles, poor communication, conflicting instructions and personal rivalries could undermine the effectiveness of the party’s campaign structures.

According to him, the Lagos State Campaign Council must serve as a platform for coordination, consultation and collective responsibility among party executives, candidates, elected officials, political appointees, grassroots organisers and support groups.

Yilwatda urged aggrieved members to embrace dialogue and reconciliation, stressing that internal disagreements should not become permanent divisions capable of weakening the party.

He said members who felt overlooked or disappointed should be given opportunities to air their grievances through established party mechanisms, while cautioning against attempts to undermine agreed party processes over personal interests.

“Nobody should be encouraged to believe that the only way to be heard is to create a crisis,” he said.

The national chairman also identified grassroots mobilisation as central to the party’s electoral strategy, urging leaders to strengthen engagement across wards, polling-unit communities, markets, transport hubs, workplaces and professional associations.

He said party structures must go beyond counting supporters to listening to their concerns, communicating government policies and engaging communities respectfully.

On the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Yilwatda urged campaign officials to explain the administration’s policies and programmes accurately, particularly in areas such as economic reform, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, security, education and healthcare.

He cited federal infrastructure projects, including the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and the proposed Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, as well as Lagos State’s rail, road and bridge projects, as issues requiring informed communication with voters.

Yilwatda also called for greater inclusion of women, young people and persons with disabilities in campaign planning, leadership and decision-making, saying their participation must go beyond rhetoric.

“Let us remember that the APC is bigger than any individual, any campaign group, and any temporary disagreement,” he said, urging party leaders to prioritise collective interests and public concerns.

He charged the Lagos APC leadership to build stronger structures, improve communication, settle internal differences and ensure that all levels of the party worked towards its 2027 electoral objectives.

The retreat brought together party leaders and senior members of the PBAT-KOH Lagos State Campaign Council to discuss campaign coordination and preparations for the forthcoming elections.

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