2027: APC chairman urges peaceful electioneering as party inaugurates campaign council in Lagos

The Lagos Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) has charged members of  party’s  council and party members in the state to be peaceful before, during, and after the general elections.

Ojelabi spoke during the inauguration of the state’s campaign council ahead of the 2027 general elections on Friday in Ikeja

He said the council would coordinate campaigns for its presidential, governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates.

The party chairman said the party had entered the final phase of preparations for the elections with the inauguration.

He said the party had completed the process of selecting its candidates with the supervision and guidance of the appropriate party organs like INEC.

Ojelabi described the APC as one family, urging members to work together despite previous disagreements within the party.

He said the party would not allow internal disagreements to affect its preparations or campaign activities ahead of the elections.

According to him, the campaign council has been carefully constituted to coordinate activities and work towards success for all APC candidates.

He said the council comprised experienced politicians expected to contribute to the party’s campaign activities across the state.

The chairman urged members not to take the elections for granted, saying all political parties would compete for votes.

“There are no pushovers in politics, as every party wants to win and make a statement,” he said.

He urged party members to deploy their resources and work together to secure votes across Lagos.

The chairman said the party had less than 118 days to the elections, describing the task ahead as enormous.

He urged members to quickly settle down, strategise and engage residents across communities before the elections.

The chairman said the party’s campaign strategy would be different as there would be greater emphasis on local communities and grassroots mobilisation.

According to him, the party will engage local leaders, community leaders, Community Development Associations and other grassroots actors.

He said the focus would be on mobilising voters and ensuring effective operations at polling units across the state.

The chairman said Lagos had 13,325 polling units, stressing that political activities must be concentrated around communities where voters reside.

Ojelabi said the party would no longer rely mainly on large rallies, but would engage people directly within their communities and polling-unit areas.

He urged members to understand their respective roles and work towards mobilising voters within their areas.

According to him, the campaign council would operate through senatorial districts and local governments, while the state structure would focus mainly on policy coordination.

He said the directors and heads of committees at the state level had substantial responsibilities in coordinating campaign activities.

Ojelabi urged members of the campaign council to approach their responsibilities with discipline and work within an established structure.

He also called for clear lines of command, responsibility, reporting and accountability within the campaign council.

He urged members to provide accurate information, respect institutional responsibilities and measure their performance throughout the campaign.

He also called on members to identify witnesses and ensure that their activities complied with electoral laws and democratic processes.

The chairman advised APC candidates to cooperate with the campaign council and remain available to party members and the electorate.

He also urged the candidates to make themselves accessible throughout the campaign period.

The party chairman said candidates should remain focused on their constituencies and responsibilities as the elections approach.

He appealed to APC members to conduct peaceful and issue-based campaigns devoid of violence, hatred and intimidation.

He said the party expected its members to discharge their responsibilities in accordance with its constitution and electoral laws.

The chairman congratulated members of the newly inaugurated campaign council and urged them to begin work immediately.

He expressed confidence that the party’s grassroots strategy would strengthen its engagement with communities ahead of the 2027 elections.

It was reported that 1,235 people ,in different committees and sub-commitees, were inaugurated at the event.