The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State has set a target of five million votes out of seven million votes it hopes to secure in the state during the 2027 general elections.
The party’s state chairman, Mr Cornelius Ojelabi, announced the target on Monday at a one-day retreat for party leaders and senior members of the PBAT-KOH Campaign Council in Lagos.
The retreat, themed “The Road to the Ballot: One Team, One Strategy – Building an Effective Campaign for Electoral Success,” focused on grassroots mobilisation, strategic planning and accountability among party leaders.
“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,” Ojelabi said.
He urged party leaders to translate the APC’s political structures into effective voter engagement by identifying their constituencies, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, addressing local concerns and regularly evaluating their progress.
Ojelabi said every local government, Local Council Development Area, ward and polling unit must have clearly defined responsibilities and measurable targets.
He added that the party intended to improve on its previous electoral performance and demonstrate its organisational capacity in Lagos.
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Ojelabi announced plans to strengthen accountability among political officeholders and party stakeholders through an initiative tagged “Operation Deliver Your Polling Unit”.
He said the initiative would link political responsibilities more closely to grassroots engagement and measurable electoral outcomes.
“The time has come to institutionalize a culture of measurable political responsibility in which every leader, officeholder, appointee and party functionary understands that electoral success begins at the polling unit.
“For too long, political performance has sometimes been discussed in broad, general terms, with individuals taking comfort in aggregate results without a clear assessment of their personal contribution to those outcomes.
“We must move away from that approach,” he said.
The chairman said he had directed party chairmen across local governments and LCDAs to compile relevant details of polling units associated with political leaders, elected representatives, appointees and other key stakeholders.
He explained that the exercise would strengthen grassroots monitoring, identify areas requiring additional attention and provide a basis for evaluating political performance.
The initiative would cover members of the National Assembly, federal and state appointees, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, local government officials and party officers at different levels.
However, Ojelabi stressed that polling unit performance must be assessed fairly, taking into account voter turnout, local dynamics, organisational strength and the challenges facing each constituency.
He urged party members to prioritise grassroots engagement over seeking political recognition through visits to party offices and influential individuals.
“Political relevance cannot be manufactured from the corridors of party offices. It must be earned through consistent engagement with the people, loyalty to the party and demonstrable commitment to grassroots development.
“Politics is ultimately a local enterprise. It is built through relationships, trust, accessibility and the ability to mobilise people around shared interests.
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“No title, appointment or political connection can permanently substitute for a credible support base,” he said.
Ojelabi added that the APC must communicate its achievements effectively, explain its programmes convincingly and demonstrate its commitment to the aspirations of Lagos residents.
He said the party would also need to sustain public confidence through responsible leadership, effective communication and meaningful engagement with supporters.
The chairman described the retreat as an opportunity to strengthen coordination, clarify responsibilities and prepare party leaders for the 2027 elections.
He urged participants to set aside personal interests, embrace unity and develop practical strategies to improve the party’s electoral performance.
Yilwatda urges reconciliation ahead of 2027
In his remarks, APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, urged party leaders and members in Lagos to resolve their differences and unite behind the party’s candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
Yilwatda said the retreat’s theme was a call for members to subordinate individual ambitions to the collective interest of the party.
He described Lagos as strategically important to the APC because of its large number of registered voters.
Acknowledging the party’s loss in the previous Lagos election, Yilwatda said the APC must work towards securing victory in the state in 2027.
“We lost the last election in Lagos and that is why I am here. We have to deliver the state in this election. This is a must-do for us as members of the APC,” he said.
He urged party leaders to deepen their relationships with residents and communicate the benefits of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Yilwatda also called for reconciliation with aggrieved members, saying those who felt overlooked or excluded should have opportunities to express their concerns and participate in party activities.
“All hands must be on deck for reconciliation. Reconciliation is necessary. Every member who feels overlooked and unheard, I say there should be room for reconciliation,” he said.
He urged members to resolve disagreements through dialogue and support candidates selected by the party, even when they had personal reservations.
The national chairman warned that internal divisions could undermine the party’s electoral prospects, stressing that the APC must remain bigger than any individual.
He charged the Lagos chapter to strengthen its political structures, resolve internal disputes and mobilise effectively for the 2027 elections.
Obanikoro calls for coordinated campaign strategy
Earlier, the Director-General of the PBAT-KOH Campaign Council, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, said electoral victory required discipline, strategic planning and sustained engagement with voters.
Obanikoro described the retreat as an opportunity for party leaders to align their objectives, identify weaknesses and develop coordinated campaign strategies.
He urged participants to listen to one another, resolve their differences and place the party’s collective interest above personal considerations.
The APC governorship candidate, Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, also addressed the retreat, speaking on the seven pillars of the Lagos State Government’s PROMISE agenda.
The retreat was attended by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, members of the Governance Advisory Council, campaign leaders, directors and other party stakeholders.
NAN
