Defection: Institute set to deepen APC’s identity, ideologies across Nigeria

As the gale of defection hits the political landscape in Nigeria, the Progressive Institute (TPI), a think-tank of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is set to develop a curriculum on the party’s ideologies and identity across the nation. TPI’s Director-General, Dr. Olanrewaju Adebayo, while reacting to the defection of some party members from the APC […]

As the gale of defection hits the political landscape in Nigeria, the Progressive Institute (TPI), a think-tank of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is set to develop a curriculum on the party’s ideologies and identity across the nation.

TPI’s Director-General, Dr. Olanrewaju Adebayo, while reacting to the defection of some party members from the APC to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) stated that the movement of people from one party to another is a global phenomenon but there is a dire need to promote conviction politics based on ideology.

Adebayo argued that one of the problems inherent in political parties generally is the issue of identity emphasizing that one of the things that APC is doing is to promote party identity across the structure of the society adding that APC’s identity and ideologies should cut across all members through a well-defined ideological orientation.

“Once this expert team completes their work, and the leadership of
the party agrees at the national discourse that this is the way forward, the TPI is going to develop a curriculum on the teachings of ideology. And that will go around and also guide activities at the state level and the local government level.

“So, as a way to encourage identity politics, ideology politics. And that will also influence how other parties begin to think. So, our job, therefore to serve as a change agent in the way things are done.

“We should not condemn people moving from one party to the other. It’s within the constitution of our party, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to move, to associate with people. But our job as a think tank is to ensure that we encourage identity politics to a level that party members will remain in the party because they agree with that ideology.”.

He further explained that party’s ideologies and identity will help in shaping programs and manifestos that APC will present at the 2027 elections, hence the institute will begin mass training and sensitization to provide basic information to Nigerians across the nation.

He said: “APC will be from Sokoto to Maiduguri to Lagos. And so, anybody that you ask for identity in terms of politics, we are APC. If you say you are APC, what do you stand for? governor of Gombe, for example, would have the same program with the governor of Borno of course, with some kind of local peculiarities that is what APC is working towards and that
has begun now.

“And I believe before the end of this year, you will see that drive that will change the face of our politics, will change the face of political engagement we want Nigerians to begin to identify themselves in a more positive way by identifying. If we say you are from Gombe, for example, I should be able to assess my governor on the basis of an ideological-driven manifesto presented and that is the only way forward for Nigeria anyway.” he added.