Uzodinma defends economic reforms as APC mobilises grassroots structure for 2027 elections 

Imo State Governor and Director-General of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has declared that President Bola Tinubu will continue to confront Nigeria’s economic and security challenges with political courage, expressing confidence that the administration’s performance will secure a second term in the 2027 general election.

Speaking on Wednesday at the organisation’s National Mobilisation Retreat at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, Senator Uzodinma unveiled a grassroots strategy designed to counter political misinformation with facts and deepen public engagement ahead of the next election cycle.

Strategic grassroots structure targets all polling units

To institutionalise this support, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors plan to deploy 25 canvassers across each of Nigeria’s 176,846 polling units. This initiative aims to establish a nationwide network of 4,421,150 mobilisers to bridge the communication gap between federal policy and local communities.

Senator Uzodinma, who also serves as Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, urged members to intensify grassroots efforts, noting that the 2027 election would serve as a referendum on the administration’s structural reforms. He emphasised that the Renewed Hope Agenda focuses on long-term national reconstruction through targeted infrastructure, healthcare, and social intervention programmes.

Administration defends fiscal and monetary policy reforms

Defending pivotal economic decisions, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and foreign exchange unification, Senator Uzodinma described the measures as difficult but necessary steps to secure Nigeria’s macroeconomic stability. He cited the 3.89 per cent Gross Domestic Product growth recorded in the first quarter of 2026 as evidence that the reforms are yielding positive results.

The Governor highlighted critical federal projects currently underway, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Road, and the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway. He also pointed to institutional milestones such as the student loan scheme, tax reforms, the consumer credit programme, the new national minimum wage, and the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative as clear indicators of developmental progress.

Inter-state coalition rallies institutional party support

The retreat, which aimed to standardise the group’s communication strategy, drew key administrative figures from the ruling All Progressives Congress. Kaduna State Governor and Deputy Director-General of the RHA, Uba Sani, alongside Gombe State Governor and National Secretary, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, urged the coordinators to remain strategic vehicles for national transformation.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, also addressed the retreat, acknowledging ongoing security concerns while commending federal successes in counter-terrorism. Senator Bagudu specifically cited the swift rescue of abducted Kebbi schoolchildren as a clear metric of progress that must be communicated to the electorate. The two-day session is expected to conclude with the ratification of a National Grassroots Mobilisation Blueprint and an Election Readiness Checklist.