APC’s Inaugural Summit Set to Strengthen Party Unity Ahead of 2027 Elections

 In a strategic move to consolidate its dominance, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is preparing to host its inaugural national summit in Abuja on June 10, 2025, aimed at uniting party leaders and charting a cohesive path for the 2027 general elections. The event, announced on May 19, 2025, seeks to bridge internal divisions and reinforce the party’s grip on Nigeria’s political landscape.

The summit, themed “Unity for Progress,” will convene 5,000 delegates, including President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, 23 APC governors, and National Assembly members. National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, a former Kano governor, emphasized the need to address factionalism, which plagued the party during the 2023 primaries, when disputes over zoning nearly derailed Tinubu’s candidacy. The APC, which controls 20 states and 60% of federal legislative seats, aims to present a united front to counter opposition from the PDP and Labour Party, both gaining traction among youths.

Key agenda items include reviewing the party’s 2023 manifesto, which promised economic diversification and security reforms, and drafting a 2027 blueprint. Tinubu, who may seek re-election, is expected to outline his administration’s achievements, such as the ₦70,000 minimum wage and the National Forest Guard initiative, deploying 130,000 operatives to secure 1,129 forest reserves. The summit will also address defections, with recent moves by Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former PDP stalwart Ifeanyi Okowa to APC strengthening its South-South base.

Workshops on grassroots mobilization, voter education, and digital campaigning will equip 2,000 youth and women leaders, targeting Nigeria’s 84 million registered voters, 60% of whom are under 35. The APC plans to expand its membership from 41 million to 50 million by 2027, leveraging state chapters in Lagos, Kano, and Rivers. However, analysts warn of challenges, including public discontent over inflation, at 32% in 2025, and fuel subsidy removal, which doubled petrol prices to ₦1,200 per liter.

The summit will also elect a new National Working Committee to replace interim officials, aiming to resolve disputes in states like Benue, where rival factions emerged in 2024. Governors like Bassey Otu of Cross River have pledged to rally South-South states, predicting APC’s capture of Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa. Critics, including PDP’s Atiku Abubakar, argue the summit is a ploy to entrench Tinubu’s influence, but APC leaders insist it will foster inclusivity. As Nigeria’s political clock ticks toward 2027, the summit’s success could determine whether APC sustains its dominance or faces a resurgent opposition.