APC And The Drumbeats Of Unity

By Dr. Patrick Akhere Ebojele

When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu addressed thousands of delegates at Eagle Square, Abuja, on Friday, March 27, 2026, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) 4th Elective National Convention, he distilled his message into a single, commanding theme: “Unity in Progress: Consolidating the Renewed Hope Agenda.”

It was more than a slogan—it was a declaration of political intent and a pointed warning to party members tempted to elevate personal ambition above collective purpose.

“Our greatest strength has never been in our size or numbers, but in our unity,” the President said. He cautioned that political parties do not only fail at the ballot box; they falter when ego overrides ideology and when individual ambition displaces collective discipline. His message was unequivocal: the convention must signal to Nigerians and the world that the APC remains strong, united, focused, and future-ready.

Notably, that message had already found a deliberate echo two days earlier—not in Abuja, but in Asaba, Delta State. There, Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, addressed South-South APC leaders at the party’s Zonal Congress, striking the same chord with clarity and conviction.

At the congress, Okpebholo framed the gathering as more than a routine party exercise. It was a strategic platform to entrench unity as a regional imperative ahead of the 2027 elections.

“A region that speaks with one voice cannot be ignored,” the governor told delegates. He argued that a divided South-South would weaken its influence within the APC’s national structure, reduce its bargaining power with the federal government, and ultimately shortchange the people it serves.

He described the peaceful, consensus-driven emergence of a new Zonal Executive Committee as evidence of a maturing party—one that has moved beyond internal divisions and personal rivalries that once threatened its cohesion. In his view, the orderly congress was not just an administrative milestone but proof that the South-South APC now possesses the discipline required for effective governance.

The alignment between Tinubu and Okpebholo is both clear and significant. From different platforms, both leaders advanced the same argument: that the APC was conceived not as a vehicle for individual political advancement, but as a durable instrument for national and regional transformation.

In Abuja, Tinubu reaffirmed the party’s founding vision—to build a Nigeria where governance works, institutions function, opportunities expand, security improves, poverty declines, and citizens can live with dignity and hope.

In Asaba, Okpebholo localized that vision, arguing that coordinated leadership across the South-South would yield tangible benefits—stronger policy coherence, improved investment prospects, and faster infrastructure delivery.

Both leaders also emphasized that unity must translate into results. Without measurable impact, unity becomes an empty promise. The real test, they stressed, lies in how governance improves the daily lives of citizens.

Their convergence was particularly evident on grassroots engagement. Both identified the ward and community levels as the decisive battleground for the APC’s 2027 electoral strategy.

Okpebholo was direct: bridging the gap between party leadership and ordinary citizens remains an urgent priority in the South-South. He stressed that this requires sustained, meaningful engagement—not occasional campaign appearances, but a consistent presence within local communities.

From Eagle Square, Tinubu reinforced this by calling on young Nigerians to take a more active role in shaping the country’s future. He emphasized the need to expand youth participation within the party—not as symbolic inclusion, but as genuine involvement in decision-making.

Taken together, their messages outline a coherent strategy: the APC’s path to 2027 runs through its grassroots base, and its leadership is aligned on that reality.

Tinubu further strengthened his unity message by highlighting key achievements under the Renewed Hope Agenda. He pointed to declining inflation, sustained economic expansion, a surging stock market, and a heavily oversubscribed Eurobond issuance as indicators of economic progress. He also acknowledged ongoing challenges in the power sector, outlining plans for the proposed Grid Asset Management Company (GAMCO) to boost electricity supply.

Okpebholo, in parallel, anchored his argument in practical outcomes. A united South-South, he maintained, would be better positioned to attract investment, leverage federal policies, and accelerate development. In his framing, unity is not an end in itself, but a necessary foundation for progress.

The Asaba congress provided institutional backing to this vision. Its outcomes gave structure to the rhetoric of unity and demonstrated the region’s readiness to align with the broader direction set at the national level.

What emerged from Asaba and Abuja was not coincidence—it was coordination. A President and a governor, operating from different levels of authority, but advancing a shared political strategy.

Tinubu’s directive was clear: the APC must emerge from every internal contest as one cohesive force, guided by discipline and shared purpose. Okpebholo, days earlier, had already shown that the South-South is prepared to lead by example.

The message is unmistakable. From Abuja to the Niger Delta, the call for unity is growing louder—and the APC’s leadership is ensuring it resonates across every ward, community, and constituency.

– Dr. Ebojele is the Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo