Uzodimma Unveils Unified Mobilisation Blueprint as APC Targets 2027

Governor of Imo State and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma, on Tuesday declared that the All Progressives Congress must close what he described as a “dangerous perception gap” between federal reforms and grassroots understanding, as the party intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at the PGF–Renewed Hope Ambassadors Strategic Summit held at the State House Conference Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, Uzodimma outlined a sweeping communication and mobilisation architecture aimed at harmonising party structures, government information systems and support groups nationwide.

The summit, convened with the backing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, brought together governors, members of the National Assembly, Federal Executive Council officials, party leaders and coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors.

Uzodimma, who also serves as Director-General of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, said the gathering was not a rally but a working session designed to institutionalise structure, discipline and ideological clarity within the ruling party.

“We are here to bridge the gap between reform and public understanding,” he said. “Policy success without citizen understanding creates perception gaps, and perception gaps weaken democratic legitimacy.”

Tinubu’s Reform Record Highlighted

In a detailed review of the administration’s performance since May 29, 2023, Uzodimma defended President Tinubu’s economic reforms, describing them as bold but necessary steps taken to stabilise a distressed economy.

He said Nigeria’s foreign reserves, which stood at $32 billion in May 2023, had risen to $49 billion as of early February 2026, representing what he called an eight-year high. Net usable reserves, he added, had climbed from about $3 billion to the high thirties.

According to him, the foreign exchange premium had narrowed from above 30 per cent to under two per cent, while headline inflation, which stood at 22.4 per cent in May 2023, declined to 15.15 per cent by December 2025. Food inflation, he said, had fallen significantly from a peak of nearly 40 per cent to 10.84 per cent.

He also cited improvements in crude oil production, noting that output had risen from roughly one million barrels per day in 2023 to an average of 1.5 million barrels per day, with peaks of 1.6 million barrels when condensates are included.

On energy security, Uzodimma referenced the operational take-off of the Dangote Refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, which he said had drastically reduced Nigeria’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products.

“The sector now has investor confidence,” he said, adding that several other large refineries were under construction.

Tax Reforms and Social Investments

Uzodimma described the tax reform package signed into law in June 2025 as the most comprehensive fiscal overhaul since 1999. The reforms consolidated over 60 taxes into fewer than 10 statutes and took effect on January 1, 2026.

Under the new regime, workers earning N800,000 or less annually pay zero income tax, while small businesses with turnover below N50 million are exempt from company income tax, capital gains tax and development levies. Companies that create new jobs, he said, receive 50 per cent tax deductions on those salaries for three years.

Agricultural enterprises benefit from a five-year corporate tax holiday, while VAT remains at 7.5 per cent, with basic food, healthcare, education and transportation zero-rated.

The governor also highlighted the impact of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which he said had disbursed about N184 billion in interest-free loans to nearly one million students across 265 public tertiary institutions.

“These reforms are not cosmetic. They are foundational,” he said. “They require courage, and courage in governance is rare.”

Communication Failure, Not Policy Failure

Despite the economic indicators presented, Uzodimma admitted that public scepticism persists in parts of the country.

“The problem is not policy failure. The problem is communication failure, and that failure is on us,” he told party leaders.

He identified four critical gaps: fragmented communication across states, weak grassroots mobilisation templates, inconsistent membership expansion strategies and role ambiguity between party structures and support platforms.

To address these gaps, he proposed a three-pillar architecture that would align the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, government information machinery and APC party structures under a unified framework.

Three-Pillar Structure Announced

Under the plan, Pillar One consists of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors at zonal, state, local government, ward and polling unit levels.

Pillar Two includes government information systems led by Commissioners for Information and media units across ministries.

Pillar Three comprises APC party structures, including state chairmen, secretaries, women and youth leaders, and ward executives.

Uzodimma said the Progressive Governors’ Forum would work with the party’s national leadership to develop a Unified Messaging Guide containing standardised talking points, reform explanations, data references and rapid-response strategies to counter misinformation.

“There must be coherence,” he said. “State uniqueness is respected, but substance must be aligned.”

He also announced that support groups springing up across the country in support of President Tinubu’s re-election would be screened and harmonised through the Secretariat to prevent conflicting messaging.

“Coordination does not stifle enthusiasm. It amplifies effectiveness,” he stated.

Timelines and Accountability

The governor laid out specific timelines for implementation.

Within 14 days, the Unified Messaging Guide and Summit Communiqué would be circulated to all states, alongside activation of a central coordination desk.

Within 30 days, states are expected to convene alignment meetings involving party executives, Commissioners for Information and Renewed Hope Ambassadors coordinators.

Within 60 days, ward-level engagement templates and harmonised membership drives with measurable targets are to be rolled out nationwide.

Quarterly reporting to the Secretariat will follow, including performance reviews and communication coherence assessments.

“If we do not measure, we do not improve,” Uzodimma said.

Youth and Women at the Centre

The governor stressed that long-term political sustainability depends on meaningful inclusion of young people and women.

With over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population under 35, he said youth mobilisation must integrate digital platforms, policy debates and entrepreneurship support. Women’s mobilisation, he added, must incorporate economic empowerment initiatives and leadership pipelines.

“Inclusion must go beyond attendance. It must become architecture,” he said, urging states to track participation data and establish leadership development pathways.

Media and Digital Strategy

Uzodimma announced plans for coordinated weekly social media campaigns, WhatsApp broadcast networks at ward and local government levels, and short-form videos in local languages using a “Then vs Now” format to explain reforms.

A rapid-response unit would be established at headquarters to counter misinformation in real time.

In his view, governance communication is now central to democratic consolidation.

“In a digitally saturated age, silence creates distortion,” he said.

Reaffirmation of Support for Tinubu

Uzodimma used the platform to reaffirm the unwavering support of progressive governors for President Tinubu’s reform direction.

He said the administration had chosen sustainability over sentiment and long-term national stability over short-term applause.

“We stand as partners, not spectators,” he said, pledging subnational alignment with federal reforms.

He concluded by urging party leaders to leave the summit with a sense of institutional purpose rather than symbolic enthusiasm.

“Let it be said that we strengthened ideological clarity, disciplined our mobilisation and chose structure over improvisation,” he said.

The summit ended with a call for unity ahead of the 2027 elections, with Uzodimma expressing confidence that disciplined coordination, clear messaging and measurable grassroots engagement would secure victory for the APC and ensure continuity of the Renewed Hope agenda.