APC Targets Nigerians Abroad With Digital Campaign Ahead of 2027 Election
The All Progressives Congress has unveiled plans to enlist Nigerians living abroad in its campaign for President Bola Tinubu's re-election in 2027, with a proposed digital initiative designed to promote the administration's policies and achievements among voters at home.
The party's Presidential Campaign Council announced the strategy on Wednesday during the activation of its Diaspora Mobilisation Directorate in Abuja. The initiative will combine international political networks, digital advocacy, fundraising, voter education and rapid responses to misinformation.
Abike Dabiri, who heads the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and serves as Director of Diaspora Mobilisation for the campaign council, said the party intended to coordinate its diaspora chapters across five continents while also engaging Nigerians abroad who are not members of the APC but have expressed interest in supporting Tinubu's second-term ambition.
A central feature of the plan is a digital advocacy campaign called Operation Tell Your Story. Through the initiative, Nigerians abroad will receive videos, infographics and other communication materials highlighting the administration's record, which they can share with relatives, friends and communities in Nigeria.
Although Nigerians living outside the country are not currently able to vote in Nigerian elections, Dabiri said their influence could help shape political conversations and public opinion ahead of the polls.
The campaign council also plans to establish transparent channels for diaspora contributions to campaign activities, including voter education, town hall meetings and grassroots mobilisation in states of origin. The directorate will further encourage Nigerians abroad to remind their relatives at home to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and participate in the election.
Another component involves creating a rapid-response system to address misinformation about Nigeria and the Tinubu administration. The proposed mechanism will provide verified information on government policies, economic developments, investment opportunities and the country's economic outlook.
Defending the administration's economic direction, Dabiri pointed to the unification of foreign exchange rates and the removal of petrol subsidies, acknowledging the difficulties associated with the reforms while arguing that they were necessary to address longstanding economic challenges.
She also urged Nigerians abroad to maintain their financial and economic connections with the country, describing diaspora remittances and investments as important to Nigeria's development. Dabiri said the reported growth in these contributions under Tinubu demonstrated continued confidence in the administration's economic policies.
Her comments came amid public debate over an alleged appeal by Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for Nigerians abroad to stop sending money home, a claim he subsequently denied.
The APC's diaspora mobilisation drive forms part of its broader preparations for the 2027 presidential election. Tinubu inaugurated the party's Presidential Campaign Council at the Presidential Villa on October 14, appointing former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari as Director-General. The party is scheduled to commence its campaign with a rally in Kaduna on October 24.
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