By Our Correspondent
The Concerned National APC Stakeholders Forum has inaugurated state coordinators of the Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Canvassers, with speakers at the event stressing the need for credible, verifiable structures at the polling-unit level ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The stakeholders, who spoke at the inauguration held on Thursday at Hawthorn Suites, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, said political support groups must move beyond Abuja, state capitals and other administrative centres and concentrate on engaging voters in their communities.
The Convener and National Coordinator of the forum, Dr Dominic Alancha, said the initiative was designed to establish a structured grassroots network capable of mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 election.
Alancha said the forum’s operational philosophy was encapsulated in the slogan, “Deliver Your Unit, Deliver Your Ward,” arguing that the outcome of elections was ultimately determined at the polling-unit level.
He said, “The political reality before us is simple: elections are won at the grassroots.”
According to him, the newly inaugurated coordinators were expected to build structures across states, local government areas, wards and polling units while maintaining regular contact with voters.
He urged the canvassers to identify the concerns of residents, recruit credible members, communicate the administration’s policies and engage Nigerians respectfully.
Alancha said the group must acknowledge the challenges facing citizens while explaining what he described as the achievements and reforms of the Tinubu administration.
He warned the canvassers against insulting political opponents, spreading unverified information or using intimidation in their engagement with voters.
“Our campaign must be a campaign of ideas, engagement, persuasion and performance—not intimidation or abuse,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, Dr Amos Gizo Yadukso, said support groups seeking to contribute to Tinubu’s re-election must establish verifiable structures at the polling-unit level.
Yadukso said he had received invitations from several support groups but examined their objectives before agreeing to participate in their activities.
He said, “Support groups should not be Abuja-based. Support groups should not be state-capital-based. Support groups should not be local-government-capital-based. Support groups should not be ward-based.
“Support groups should be unit-based.”
According to him, genuine grassroots mobilisation must involve the “real voter,” whom he said could be reached at the polling unit.
The APC stakeholder also cautioned political support groups against making exaggerated claims about their membership, recalling his experience during efforts to mobilise support for Tinubu ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
He said more than 10,000 support groups were involved in the mobilisation at the time, but many of the claims made about their membership were difficult to substantiate.
Yadukso recalled an encounter with a support group member who allegedly claimed that her organisation had more than 100 million supporters.
He said he challenged the claim, describing such figures as unrealistic and urging support groups to present verifiable numbers rather than engage in what he called “jamboree statements.”
He said the number of people physically present at the inauguration could not determine the outcome of an election unless they represented genuine structures capable of mobilising voters.
“Our number in this hall cannot give us a winning vote, but the supporters you have behind you are truly the people,” he said.
The Plateau politician further appealed to Christians, particularly those in northern Nigeria, not to allow concerns over the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket to determine their political support for the administration.
Yadukso said that although there had been concerns about the ticket before the 2023 election, he believed subsequent appointments and developments had demonstrated that religion was not being used as the basis for governance.
He cited the presence of senior government officials from the North-Central region as part of his argument and urged Nigerians to assess the administration by its actions rather than statements by its critics.
“Religion is a personal thing,” he said, urging Christian supporters not to be discouraged by what he described as attempts to undermine support for the President.
Meanwhile, a speaker and APC Chieftain at the event, Dr Femi Alabi, called on the newly inaugurated canvassers to adopt ethical and responsible approaches to grassroots political mobilisation.
Alabi, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of TRI-LAB Limited, said effective grassroots mobilisation required accurate communication, respect for citizens’ concerns and issue-based political discussions.
In his presentation titled “Strategies for Effective Grassroots Mobilisation,” Alabi urged the canvassers to promote voter education and lawful participation while using social media responsibly.
He also advised them to work with traditional, religious and community leaders to promote peace, unity and democratic values.
Alabi said political engagement must be conducted within the Constitution and laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Progressive governance requires ethical leadership. Leaders and canvassers must uphold integrity, accountability, transparency, respect for diversity and commitment to public service,” he said.
He described the canvassers as ambassadors of peace, truth, responsible citizenship and service rather than mere political mobilisers.
The event was attended by APC leaders, stakeholders, state coordinators and members of the Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Canvassers.
The speakers collectively charged the newly inaugurated coordinators to build credible grassroots structures, engage citizens peacefully and responsibly, and demonstrate through verifiable polling-unit networks their capacity to contribute to the APC’s 2027 campaign.