2027 Will Be Referendum on Reform, APC Chairman Tells Strategic Summit

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday declared that the 2027 general elections will serve as a “referendum on courage and reform,” urging party leaders to close ranks and institutionalise a unified communication structure ahead of the polls.

Speaking at the APC Strategic Summit held at the State House Conference Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, the chairman said governance and electoral victory are inseparable under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Addressing President Tinubu, Governor Hope Uzodimma, members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, National Working Committee, Federal Executive Council and leaders of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, the chairman described the gathering as a “moment of strategic destiny” for the ruling party.

“We are not here by accident,” he said. “We are here because we believe in Nigeria, we believe in reform, and we believe in the mission of Mr President and our great party. The future is not something we await; it is something we organise.”

He stressed that the summit was convened to achieve two clear objectives: to strengthen governance communication under the Renewed Hope Agenda and to lay what he called the structural foundation for a decisive victory in 2027.

Governance Must Translate to Votes

The APC chairman warned that reforms, no matter how impactful, risk being politically invisible without deliberate communication and grassroots mobilisation.

“Good governance without communication is invisible. Communication without structure is noise. Politics without grassroots mobilisation is organised defeat,” he said.

According to him, the task before the party is to ensure that governance translates into public appreciation, that appreciation becomes loyalty, and that loyalty results in electoral victory.

He accused the opposition of banking on temporary discomfort arising from economic reforms to weaken the ruling party, saying critics were spreading confusion while the government pursued long-term transformation.

“The opposition hopes that difficult reforms will weaken us. They whisper confusion where we speak clarity. But we are the party of courage,” he said.

Reform Over Populism

The chairman defended the Tinubu administration’s economic direction, describing it as bold and necessary.

“Under President Tinubu, we have chosen reform over rhetoric. We have chosen restructuring over recycling failure. We have chosen bold economic reform over cosmetic populism,” he said.

He argued that history rewards conviction rather than hesitation and predicted that Nigerians would ultimately vote based on measurable results rather than political noise.

“In 2027, Nigerians will not vote for noise. They will vote for results,” he stated.

Call for Discipline and Ideological Clarity

Central to his address was a strong call for party discipline and message coherence across all levels of the APC.

He rejected the notion of the party as a loose coalition, describing it instead as a movement built on progressive ideals.

“One party means no contradictory narratives, no internal sabotage, no freelance communication,” he declared.

According to him, when the President articulates policy, governors must echo it; when governors deliver projects, party ambassadors must amplify them; and when the party takes a decision, members must defend it.

“Unity is not optional. Unity is strategic power,” he said.

The chairman warned that inconsistent messaging and internal divisions could undermine the party’s electoral strength if not addressed early.

Drawing Battle Lines for 2027

Framing the next election cycle as a defining moment, he said Nigerians would face a clear choice between what he described as nation-building and political populism.

“In 2027, Nigerians will choose between noise and nation-building, populism and progress, confusion and Renewed Hope,” he said.

He insisted that the coming election would be a referendum on whether Nigeria continues on its reform path or reverses course.

“If we communicate effectively, if we mobilise strategically, if we remain united, victory will not be accidental. It will be inevitable,” he added.

Directives to Key Party Stakeholders

The APC chairman issued specific directives to various arms of the party and government.

To progressive governors, he urged performance-driven leadership backed by precise communication of achievements.

To the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, he tasked them with taking the message of reform to the grassroots and ensuring it resonates at the ward and polling unit levels.

To party leaders, he emphasised the need to guard unity and prevent internal divisions.

“To every APC member, you are not just a supporter. You are a messenger of national transformation,” he said.

He called for a disciplined, data-driven and grassroots-powered movement that would secure not only governance continuity but long-term political dominance.

Engineering Victory, Not Assuming It

The chairman cautioned against complacency, noting that electoral success must be deliberately organised rather than casually assumed.

“History has placed us at a defining moment. We can either manage success casually, or we can organise it strategically. We can either assume victory, or we can engineer it deliberately,” he said.

He urged participants to ensure that the 2026 summit would be remembered as the point at which the APC chose structure over sentiment, clarity over confusion and unity over division.

As the summit concluded, the chairman expressed confidence that with disciplined coordination, consistent messaging and strategic mobilisation, the APC would secure victory in 2027 and consolidate the Renewed Hope agenda.

“When Nigerians return to the ballot in 2027, they will not just vote for a party,” he said. “They will vote for stability. They will vote for courage. They will vote for Renewed Hope.”