All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda yesterday said grassroots mobilisation is the key to success ahead of next year’s polls.
He called for unity harmony and cohesion adding that reconciliation should be elevated above crisis that leads to exclusion.
Yilwatda spoke on the theme: ‘The road to the bsllot: One team One Strength – Building an effective campaign for election success’ during the PBAT-KOH Lagos APC Campaign Council Retreat held at Eko Hotels Victoria Island Lagos.
The state chairman Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi said victory at the polls can only be achieved in an atmosphere of unity. He said members should deliver their areas.
The campaign manager Senator Musiliu Obanikoro said for the campaign strategy to be effective it should be people-centred.
Yilwatda raised some posers: ‘What is the value of a great political party if its members are not united? What is the value of a powerful campaign structure if its different parts are pulling in different directions? And what is the value of having the right message if that message never reaches the people?’
Providing the answers the national chairman said: ‘Our strength is not merely in our numbers. Our strength is in our unity our organisation our discipline and our ability to connect with the people.’
He therefore urged party members ‘to move from individual efforts to collective action from scattered activities to coordinated mobilisation and from good intentions to measurable results.’
Yilwatda added: ‘We are here today to have One team One strength One shared responsibility. And when we say one team what do we mean? We mean that every leader every elected or appointed official every party executive every campaign group every grassroots organiser and every party member must understand their role in the larger mission.
‘Because no single individual no matter how influential can replace the strength of a united political party.’
Yilwatda emphasised that Lagos is too strategic to be ignored stressing that it occupies a special place in the history of the party and in the political and economic life of the country.
He stressed: ‘It is a centre of enterprise innovation commerce culture (Eyo festival) and political organisation. It is also a place where citizens expect results where political competition is intense and where political credibility must be earned continually.
‘We must protect the organisational strength of the APC deepen our relationship with communities strengthen our structures at the ward and local government levels and demonstrate that our party remains committed to effective leadership and responsive governance.’
Yilwatda said the task before the Lagos chapter is not to celebrate the existence of party structures but to make those structures work.
He said the structures should evolve into active responsive and well-connected networks that facilitate continuous engagement effective communication service delivery and accountability.
The national chairman said party members should communicate and explain how government policies and programmes affect everyday life adding that that is hos a political organisation builds enduring relationships with the people.
Urging the chapter to harmonise its campaign structures he said:
‘One of the greatest challenges in a large political organisation is not a shortage of leaders or supporters. It is the possibility of duplication competition poor communication and conflicting instructions.
‘We have campaign groups. We have candidates and their teams. We have party executives elected and appointed representatives political associations women and youth organisations and numerous support groups.
‘Every one of these structures has value. Every one has a contribution to make.
But their effectiveness depends on coordination. We must not have one party with several conflicting directions. We must have one party with many capable hands working towards clearly defined objectives.’
Yilwatda insisted that the Lagos State Campaign Council must therefore provide a credible platform for coordination consultation and shared responsibility.
The national chairman also urged Lagos APC to establish practical systems for monitoring progress identifying gaps resolving disagreements and ensuring that commitments are followed through.
He said: ‘I want our leaders to understand that harmonisation does not mean that everyone must agree on every issue. It means that once the party has established a lawful and agreed direction we work together with discipline and respect to achieve it.
‘Let there be no parallel centres of confusion when we can have a coordinated system of cooperation.’
Yilwatda also called for unity reconciliation and discipline in the party.
He noted that in large and diverse political parties differences of opinion are inevitable ambition is natural and competition is part of democratic politics.
Yilwatda who said people will sometimes disagree about leadership appointments strategy or the distribution of responsibilities warned that ‘these differences must not become permanent divisions.’
He added: ‘We must never allow yesterday’s disagreement to destroy tomorrow’s opportunity for cooperation. We must never allow personal grievances to become greater than the interests of our party and the people we seek to serve.
‘And to every member who feels overlooked unheard or disappointed I say: there must be room for dialogue reconciliation and renewed participation. Nobody should be encouraged to believe that the only way to be heard is to create a crisis.
‘Nobody should believe that disagreement must end in exclusion. And nobody should be permitted to undermine agreed party processes simply because a personal preference has not prevailed.
‘We must resolve our differences through dialogue established party mechanisms and mutual respect.
The APC must be a home in which people can contribute grow and work together for a common purpose. Our diversity should make us stronger not weaker.’
Emphasising the importance of grassroots mobilisation the party leader said it is where organisation meets the people.
He stressed: ‘The most important campaign office is not necessarily the largest building. It is the community where citizens are asking questions and expecting answers and that is the grassroot. That is why grassroots mobilisation must be at the centre of our strategy.
‘Our wards polling-unit communities streets markets transport hubs workplaces professional associations youth networks and neighbourhood organisations must not be afterthoughts.
‘They are essential to understanding our political environment and engaging citizens meaningfully. We should use both traditional and digital communication effectively. But technology must support human relationships not replace them.
‘A strong grassroots structure does not merely count people. It understands people listens to people and engages people with respect.’
Yilwatda said APC should campaign based on the verifiable impact of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said: ‘President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda sets out priorities that include economic reform infrastructure energy agriculture security education healthcare and improved public service delivery.
‘These are major national issues and they deserve serious informed discussion.
In Lagos and across the South-West infrastructure is an important part of this conversation.’
Highlighting the impactful projects he said: ‘The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of the federal government’s major ongoing infrastructure projects while the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway is intended to strengthen connectivity between the North-West and the South-West.
‘These projects should be discussed accurately distinguishing completed sections from work still in progress.
‘At the state level Lagos has continued to pursue transport and infrastructure development including the Blue and Red rail lines and road and bridge projects under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.’
The national chairman said no campaign structure can fulfil its potential if it treats women and young people as spectators.
He described women as leaders organisers professionals entrepreneurs community builders and an essential part of political life adding that their contributions must be recognised in decision-making campaign planning communication and leadership.
He said: ‘Our young people bring energy creativity digital skills new ideas and a deep understanding of the changing aspirations of our society.
‘They must have meaningful opportunities to contribute lead and shape our political conversations.
‘We must also ensure that persons with disabilities and other underrepresented members of our communities can participate fully and meaningfully in our party’s activities.
‘Inclusion must be more than a sentence in a speech. It must be reflected in our structures our consultations our accessibility arrangements and our distribution of responsibilities. Let us build a party where talent is developed contribution is recognised and every committed member can see a meaningful place in the collective mission.
Yilwatda said the road to the ballot requires preparation it requires patience and it requires honest communication and a willingness to put collective responsibility above personal differences.
In his view APC is bigger than any individual any campaign group and any temporary disagreement adding that ‘the people we seek to represent deserve a political organisation that listens to them respects them and takes their concerns seriously.’
Yilwatda urged Lagos APC to build the structures strengthen the relationships communicate the facts resolve differences and make every level of our organisation work with purpose until victory is achieved in 2027.
Ojelabi who welcomed the chieftains to the retreat thanked Obanikoro and his team for bringing the family together to take stock sharpen strategies renew commitment and prepare for the important electoral assignment.
He said the time for preparation should translate into purposeful action measurable progress and ultimately victory at the ballot.
Ojelabi added: ‘The task before us is enormous the expectations of our party faithful are high and the responsibility of sustaining the confidence reposed in us by the good people of Lagos State demands that we remain focused united and resolute.
‘As progressives consultations strategic engagements and collective decision-making are firmly rooted in our political tradition. We understand that lasting success is best achieved when we listen to one another accommodate diverse perspectives and work towards common objectives.
‘We do not merely assemble to exchange ideas; we assemble to build consensus strengthen our structures and emerge better prepared to deliver on our mandate.’
Ojelabi said ‘no campaign can succeed sustainably when its component parts operate at cross-purposes’ stressing that no political organisation can maximise its strength when individual ambitions take precedence over collective interests.
He also said no party can convert its numerical advantage into electoral victory without effective coordination disciplined communication and purposeful grassroots mobilisation.
The chairman added: ‘Our strength lies not merely in the number of our leaders or the positions we occupy but in our ability to work together communicate a common message and mobilise our supporters towards a shared goal.
‘I therefore urge every participant to approach this retreat with an open mind a strong sense of responsibility and a genuine willingness to contribute to the success of our collective enterprise. Let us put sentiment aside confront the issues honestly and leave this gathering with actionable strategies that can be implemented across our political structures.’
‘We target five million votes’
Setting a target Ojelabi said: ‘Our electoral target is clear and ambitious: five million votes out of the seven million votes we are targeting in Lagos State.
‘This is not a figure to be repeated merely for its political appeal. It must become a measurable objective that informs our planning resource allocation mobilisation strategy and performance assessment.
‘We believe this target is attainable because of the APC’s extensive grassroots structures established political networks committed membership and enduring presence across Lagos State. However these advantages will count for little unless we translate them into disciplined organisation credible voter engagement and effective mobilisation.
‘We must move beyond general assurances of support and establish clear practical pathways to achieving our target. We must know our numbers understand our constituencies identify our strengths and weaknesses address emerging concerns and continually measure our progress.
Every local government every Local Council Development Area every ward and every polling unit must have a clearly defined role in this undertaking. Our campaign must be built from the grassroots upwards with responsibilities assigned targets established and outcomes monitored.
‘Let us be clear: our ambition is not simply to participate in the elections or to secure another victory. It is to surpass our previous electoral performance and demonstrate once again the organisational capacity and political strength of the APC in Lagos State.’
The chairman said the time has come to institutionalise a culture of measurable political responsibility in which every leader officeholder appointee and party functionary understands that electoral success begins at the polling unit.
Ojelabi said: ‘Going forward we intend to pay closer attention to the performance of our leaders and stakeholders at the polling units where they vote and exercise their political influence.
‘Our objective is to establish a more direct connection between political responsibility grassroots engagement and measurable electoral outcomes.
‘I have therefore directed our party chairmen across the local governments and Local Council Development Areas to compile the relevant details of polling units associated with our leaders elected representatives appointees and other key stakeholders.
‘This exercise will enable us to strengthen our grassroots monitoring identify areas requiring additional attention and establish a more reliable basis for evaluating performance.
‘For the avoidance of doubt the categories of stakeholders expected to demonstrate effective grassroots engagement include: Members of the National Assembly ministers and other members of the federal cabinet Political Heads of departments and agencies Special Advisers Senior Special Assistants and other presidential appointees.
At the state level members of the Lagos State House of Assembly Lagos State Executive Council Political Heads of departments and agencies Special Advisers Senior Special Assistants and other appointees of the Governor.
At the Local Government Level: Councillors Supervisors Special Advisers Senior Special Assistants and other appointees of local government chairmen party leaders and officers at the national state local government LCDA and ward levels must demonstrate their relevance through meaningful engagement with their respective grassroots constituencies.
Ojelabi said: ‘Let me emphasise that this initiative is not intended to encourage empty declarations of loyalty or the mere occupation of political offices.
‘It is designed to strengthen ownership of our collective mission encourage personal responsibility and ensure that every stakeholder contributes meaningfully to our electoral objectives.
‘We must however approach the exercise intelligently and fairly. Polling-unit performance should be assessed in context taking into consideration voter turnout local dynamics the strength of our organisation and the practical challenges confronting each constituency. The purpose is to improve performance encourage commitment and ensure that our structures deliver effectively.
‘We must build a culture in which responsibility is clear performance is measurable and genuine contributions to the party’s success are recognised.’
To Obanikoro the road to the ballot is a journey that demands more than enthusiasm and political strength.
He said it requires a clear vision a shared strategy defined responsibilities effective communication and a united leadership capable of mobilising our structures and supporters towards a common destination.
Obanikoro added: ‘This is why the emphasis on one team and one strategy is particularly important.
‘As leaders of the Party and the Campaign Council we must appreciate that our individual positions responsibilities interests and contributions are most valuable when they complement one another. No single individual sub-committee directorate or campaign structure can achieve electoral success in isolation.
‘Our collective strength lies in our ability to work as one coordinated team respect established channels of communication resolve differences constructively and place the overall interest of the Party above personal considerations.’
Calling for unity Obanikoro added:
‘Unity does not mean that we will always agree on every issue. It means that even when our opinions differ we remain committed to a common purpose and pursue our agreed objectives with discipline and mutual respect.
‘This retreat therefore provides us with an opportunity to reflect honestly on our preparedness strengthen relationships identify potential challenges and agree on practical strategies for moving forward. It is a platform to align our political vision with our operational plans clarify the roles of the Party and the Campaign Council and establish effective mechanisms for coordination mobilisation communication and accountability.’
The campaign Director-General said
the campaign strategy must remain people-centred noting that the confidence of the electorate is earned through meaningful engagement credible communication responsiveness to public concerns and a consistent demonstration of our commitment to the welfare and aspirations of the people.
Obanikoro said the structures should therefore be organised our messages coherent and our engagement with citizens respectful factual and responsible.