The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has reaffirmed its target of securing five million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
The party’s state chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, maintained that the ambitious target must translate into measurable results through coordinated activities across local governments, Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), wards and polling units.
He made the remarks during a one-day retreat for party leaders and senior members of the PBAT-KOH Campaign Council in Lagos.
The retreat, held under the theme, “The Road to the Ballot: One Team, One Strategy – Building an Effective Campaign for Electoral Success,” focused on strengthening the party’s organisational capacity and aligning its leadership behind a common electoral strategy.
According to Cornelius Ojelabi, “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.”
Cornelius Ojelabi
He added, “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.”
The Party Chairman noted that party leaders must develop a clear understanding of the constituencies under their supervision, identify organisational strengths and weaknesses, respond to emerging concerns and regularly assess progress towards their assigned targets.
APC Prioritises Grassroots Mobilisation
Moreover, Cornelius Ojelabi explained that every local government, LCDA, ward and polling unit must have clearly defined responsibilities, with party officials expected to understand the roles they are required to play in the mobilisation process.
The Chairman also expressed the party’s determination to surpass its previous electoral performance and demonstrate its organisational capacity in Lagos.
However, he stressed that achieving the projected vote total would depend on the party’s ability to maintain effective grassroots structures and mobilise supporters in a coordinated manner.
Ojelabi urged members to concentrate on engaging directly with communities and constituents instead of seeking political recognition through visits to party offices or influential personalities.
“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.”
Cornelius Ojelabi
“No title, appointment or political connection can permanently substitute for a credible support base,” he added.
‘Operation Deliver Your Polling Unit’ to Strengthen Accountability
As part of its preparations, Ojelabi announced plans to strengthen accountability among political officeholders and party stakeholders through an initiative known as “Operation Deliver Your Polling Unit.”
The initiative is intended to establish a closer link between political responsibilities, grassroots engagement and measurable electoral outcomes, requiring party leaders and officials to demonstrate their contributions to the APC’s performance in their respective areas.
Ojelabi argued that political performance had often been discussed in broad terms, allowing individuals to associate themselves with aggregate electoral results without establishing the extent of their personal contributions.
“The time has come to institutionalise 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.
Cornelius Ojelabi
He added, “we must move away from that approach.”
Under the proposed arrangement, the APC Chairman disclosed that 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.
The exercise is expected to provide the party with information to support grassroots monitoring, identify areas requiring additional attention and establish a basis for assessing the performance of individuals with responsibilities within its political structure.
Ojelabi indicated that the initiative would cover a broad range of political officeholders and party officials, including 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, he cautioned that polling-unit performance must be assessed fairly, taking into account voter turnout, local dynamics, organisational strength and the challenges confronting each constituency.
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