Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has unveiled an international mobilisation and media offensive to defend President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, counter negative narratives about his administration, and rally support for his re-election in 2027, targeting Nigerians living across major countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America.
Under the plan, the party intends to activate its overseas chapters, deploy coordinated digital advocacy, establish a rapid-response mechanism to challenge misinformation, mobilise diaspora funding and encourage voter participation at home as it seeks to shape public perception of Tinubu’s first term ahead of the presidential election.
The Director of the PBAT/APC 2027 Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) Directorate of Diaspora Mobilisation, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, unveiled the strategy at a press briefing in Abuja, describing Nigerians abroad as an influential constituency whose financial contributions, professional expertise and international networks could be harnessed to support the administration.
The initiative signals the APC’s determination to make the diaspora an organised component of its re-election campaign, using Nigerians’ connections with relatives, communities and professional networks abroad to communicate the government’s position on its economic reforms and development agenda.
Dabiri-Erewa said the directorate would not limit its mobilisation to party members, but would also reach out to Nigerians abroad who were willing to participate in the campaign.
“Nigerians abroad are not outsiders. They are stakeholders. They are our doctors, nurses, engineers, students, traders, innovators and community leaders, who send over $20 billion annually back home in remittances,” she said.
She identified the mobilisation of APC diaspora chapters in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Australia, Turkey, India and Kazakhstan as a priority, alongside engagement with diaspora associations and community leaders.
At the centre of the strategy is a digital advocacy campaign tagged: ‘Operation Tell Your Story’, through which supporters would receive short videos, infographics and other communication materials promoting the administration’s policies and achievements.
The campaign would address the foreign exchange reforms, foreign reserves, support for small businesses, housing programmes and opportunities for students, while seeking to counter claims the directorate considers misleading.
Dabiri-Erewa also announced plans for a rapid-response hub to provide data, fact-check claims and promote what she described as credible information about Nigeria’s investment climate, economic stabilisation and prospects under Tinubu.
“Our directorate will serve as a rapid-response hub in case of misinformation about Nigeria and the administration. We will provide credible data, fact-check and positive narratives about Nigeria’s investment climate, stabilisation of the economy and the future under President Tinubu,” she said.
The move comes amid continuing public debate over the administration’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign exchange system, which have had significant implications for households and businesses.
Dabiri-Erewa acknowledged the hardship associated with the subsidy removal but defended the policy as a necessary intervention to address structural weaknesses in the economy.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has decided not to manage our feelings, but to fix the system. And it takes a bold leader to do that,” she said.
She argued that Nigerians living abroad could help explain the rationale behind the reforms to their families and communities, particularly because of their understanding of the challenges associated with the previous foreign exchange arrangements.
However, the directorate’s strategy will face the challenge of persuading voters at home that the administration’s policies are delivering sufficient benefits to justify the economic sacrifices they have experienced. The effectiveness of the campaign will therefore depend not only on the reach of its messaging but also on the credibility of its claims and the administration’s record against measurable economic outcomes.
Beyond digital advocacy, the APC plans to mobilise diaspora contributions through structured fundraising platforms to finance campaign activities, voter education materials, town hall meetings and grassroots mobilisation.
Dabiri-Erewa said the proposed fundraising arrangements would emphasise transparency and accountability, but did not disclose the amount the directorate hopes to raise or provide details of the proposed platforms.
The fourth strand of the strategy would focus on voter education and homecoming mobilisation, with diaspora Nigerians encouraged to remind eligible relatives and community members to register, collect their Permanent Voter Cards and participate in the election.
The directorate also intends to use its overseas networks to encourage Nigerians abroad to return home, engage their communities and take part in the political process.
In a related appeal, Dabiri-Erewa called on the National Assembly to consider constitutional amendments that would allow Nigerians living abroad to vote in Nigerian elections.
She acknowledged that diaspora voting remained a subject of debate but expressed hope that lawmakers would address the issue, potentially expanding the formal participation of Nigerians abroad in the country’s electoral process.
Dabiri-Erewa, who also heads the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), said the commission had established a portal for registering Nigerians living outside the country and put the estimated diaspora population at more than 17 million.
She also urged Nigerians to monitor how state and local governments utilise increased allocations following the removal of the petrol subsidy, arguing that greater public revenue should be accompanied by accountability in spending.
Other members of the directorate backed the administration’s economic policies, acknowledging the hardship associated with the reforms while arguing that the intended benefits would take time to materialise. They highlighted investment, skills transfer, business partnerships and collaboration with government institutions as additional ways Diaspora Nigerians could contribute to national development.
Dabiri-Erewa urged the media to support the directorate’s communication efforts, saying the campaign would focus on continuity, national development and Tinubu’s stated ambition to move Nigeria from reforms to prosperity.
With the 2027 election approaching, the APC’s strategy places diaspora mobilisation, digital communication and the battle over the interpretation of the administration’s economic record at the heart of its re-election effort. Whether the initiative translates into broader electoral support will ultimately depend on how Nigerians judge the government’s performance and whether the campaign can substantiate its claims with credible evidence.