2027: How to secure victory for Tinubu, APC — Banire

A former legal adviser to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Muiz Banire, has urged members of the South-West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA) 2.0,a support group,to campaign aggressively with the achievements of President Bola Tinubu to secure victory for him. Banire,a former commissioner of transportation in Lagos,made the call during the SWAGA 2.0 Summit and official launch in Ikeja, on Friday.

He said political rallies alone were not sufficient to secure electoral victory. The chieftain said there was need for sustained grassroots mobilisation and direct engagement with voters. According to him, campaigns should not be characterised by abuses, confrontation or unnecessary political arguments but should focus on educating the electorate about government policies, programmes and achievements.

“Rallies are not what win elections. What wins elections is going from door to door, engaging the people and explaining to them what the government has achieved. “Campaigns should not be about abusing opponents or engaging in fights. They should be about educating the electorate and convincing voters with facts about the performance of the present administration,” he said.

Banire urged SWAGA leadership to establish functional campaign teams across all wards, local government areas and local council development areas in the South-West to strengthen grassroots mobilisation. He advised the organisation to compile and coordinate information on registered All Progressives Congress (APC) voters in the various communities to facilitate effective voter engagement and mobilisation.

“SWAGA must ensure that it has representatives in every ward and local government area. You must know your people, understand the voting strength in each locality and develop a strategy for reaching them. “Wherever members or campaign agents encounter challenges in the course of their assignments, they should report such issues to their respective leaders for prompt attention and necessary solutions,” he said.

The former commissioner emphasised the importance of appointing competent and literate campaign agents who could communicate effectively with residents and provide accurate information about government policies and achievements. He added that campaign and party agents must be able to read, write and understand the issues they are expected to communicate to the electorate.

Banire expressed confidence that the South-West would deliver at least 70 per cent of its votes to President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election if party members remained committed to effective grassroots mobilisation. Banire mentioned some of the infrastructure projects and economic reforms undertaken by the Tinubu administration, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Badagry-Sokoto Coastal Road, describing them as significant interventions capable of promoting economic growth and national development.

He said the removal of fuel subsidy, although accompanied by economic difficulties for Nigerians, was part of broader efforts to redirect government resources towards national development, debt obligations and economic restructuring. “The subsidy removal has brought some hardship, but the resources saved are being channelled into developing the economy, addressing the nation’s debt burden and restructuring the economy.

“We must continue to enlighten Nigerians on the reasons behind the reforms and the benefits expected from them. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and the people should not lose hope,” he said. He urged SWAGA members to remain committed, organised and consistent in communicating the administration’s achievements. The chieftain said that credible information and direct interaction with voters would be critical to securing electoral support in 2027.