Abike Dabiri Unveils Five-Point Diaspora Strategy for Tinubu’s 2027 Re-election
…Launches ‘Operation Tell Your Story Home’, plans global mobilisation, fundraising, voter education
Oru Leonard
The Director of the Diaspora Mobilisation Directorate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has unveiled a five-point strategy to mobilise Nigerians living abroad in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 presidential election.
The strategy, unveiled on Wednesday at the Directorate’s leadership meeting and inaugural press briefing at the APC PCC Women’s Headquarters in Asokoro, Abuja, focuses on activating APC diaspora chapters worldwide, digital advocacy, diaspora fundraising, voter education and mobilisation, and countering misinformation about Nigeria and the Tinubu administration.
Dabiri-Erewa, who is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), said the initiative was designed to harness the financial resources, professional expertise, international networks and patriotic commitment of Nigerians abroad to promote the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda 2.0, themed From Reforms to Prosperity.
The Directorate described Nigerians in the diaspora as strategic partners in national development, noting that their contributions extend beyond financial remittances to investments, skills transfer, innovation, international advocacy and professional collaboration.
It cited annual diaspora remittances exceeding $20 billion as evidence of the community’s economic significance and the need for a more coordinated engagement with Nigerians living overseas.
Unveiling the plan, the Directorate said its first priority would be to activate and harmonise APC diaspora chapters across six continents, strengthening the party’s organisational structures and expanding its engagement with Nigerians abroad.
Countries identified as key areas of mobilisation include the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Australia, Turkey, India and Kazakhstan.
The Directorate said participation would not be restricted to APC members, adding that Nigerians abroad who were not affiliated with any political party but wished to support Tinubu’s re-election campaign would also be accommodated.
The second pillar is a digital advocacy initiative tagged “Operation Tell Your Story Home,” also described as the Digital War Room.
Under the programme, diaspora supporters will be equipped with short videos, infographics, fact sheets and other communication materials highlighting government policies, programmes and achievements for distribution to relatives, friends and communities in Nigeria.
The materials are expected to cover initiatives in education, housing, agriculture, infrastructure and support for small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as economic reforms and investment opportunities.
Programmes highlighted include the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Renewed Hope housing initiatives, diaspora investment platforms and other interventions aimed at expanding economic opportunities.
The Directorate urged Nigerians abroad to use their personal and professional networks to promote informed discussions about government policies and their implications for the country’s development.
Dabiri-Erewa also defended the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market, acknowledging the difficulties associated with the measures while arguing that they were intended to address longstanding structural weaknesses in the economy.
She maintained that Nigerians in the diaspora were well positioned to explain the rationale behind the reforms because of their exposure to international economic systems and their understanding of the implications of previous policies.
The Directorate said its communication strategy would focus on explaining the objectives of the reforms, addressing public concerns and providing information about economic stabilisation, foreign reserves, investment opportunities and support for businesses.
It added that the digital campaign would also highlight opportunities in healthcare, agriculture, information and communications technology, education and other sectors where diaspora expertise and investment could contribute to national development.
Among the diaspora-focused initiatives referenced were the Diaspora Mortgage Scheme, the Home Abroad programme and the Nigerian Diaspora Investment Summit.
The Directorate said these platforms could strengthen economic and social connections between Nigerians abroad and opportunities in their home country.
The third pillar of the strategy is the establishment of a transparent and legally compliant Diaspora Support Fund to enable willing Nigerians abroad to contribute to campaign-related activities.
According to the Directorate, the proposed funding platform would support voter education materials, town hall meetings, community engagement and grassroots mobilisation across Nigeria.
It stressed that contributions would be handled in accordance with applicable laws and regulations governing political fundraising.
The Directorate said the initiative would provide an organised framework for diaspora supporters to participate in campaign activities while promoting accountability and transparency.
The fourth pillar focuses on voter education and mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Directorate said it would encourage Nigerians in the diaspora to urge eligible relatives, friends and community members at home to participate in the electoral process, including voter registration and the collection of their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
It also announced plans for a Diaspora Homecoming Week ahead of the elections, encouraging Nigerians living abroad to return home, reconnect with their communities and participate in electoral activities.
Although Nigerians abroad can influence political conversations and encourage participation at home, they cannot currently cast their ballots from their countries of residence under Nigeria’s existing electoral arrangements.
Dabiri-Erewa called for renewed efforts to establish a legal framework for diaspora voting, which she said would expand the political participation of Nigerians living and working overseas.
The Directorate said its mobilisation strategy would combine international advocacy with grassroots engagement to encourage eligible voters to exercise their democratic rights.
The fifth pillar involves establishing a rapid-response mechanism to address misinformation about Nigeria and the Tinubu administration.
The Directorate said the proposed mechanism would provide verified information, fact-checks and data on the country’s economic reforms, investment climate and development prospects.
It is also expected to respond to misleading narratives about government policies while promoting information on economic opportunities, support for small businesses, housing programmes, foreign exchange reforms and educational initiatives.
According to the Directorate, coordinated communication through diaspora networks would help Nigerians at home and abroad engage more effectively with public policy issues.
It said the initiative would also contribute to promoting Nigeria’s international image by encouraging the dissemination of credible information about the country’s economic and development prospects.
The Directorate reaffirmed the strategic importance of Nigerians abroad, referencing Tinubu’s description of the diaspora as Nigeria’s 37th state.
It said the President had recognised the community’s contributions to national development and the importance of maintaining strong relationships with Nigerians living overseas.
The Directorate also cited international engagements and diaspora-focused platforms, including the Nigerian Diaspora Investment Summit and the Nigerian Diaspora Engagement in Canada (NIDEC), as avenues for strengthening collaboration between the government and Nigerians abroad.
It maintained that Nigerians overseas could contribute to national development through investments, technology transfer, professional expertise, entrepreneurship and international partnerships.
Dabiri-Erewa also urged Nigerians abroad to sustain their financial contributions to the country, stressing the importance of remittances and other forms of economic engagement in supporting households, businesses and national development.
As part of the mobilisation drive, the Directorate announced plans to launch a social media campaign under the hashtag #Diaspora4Tinubu2027 to coordinate digital advocacy and amplify its messages across diaspora communities.
The campaign will be complemented by engagements with traditional rulers, community leaders, political stakeholders and other groups in Nigeria to strengthen grassroots mobilisation.
The Directorate expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, the Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council, as well as the Council’s Director-General, Senator Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, and Secretary, Senator Hope Uzodimma, for the confidence reposed in its leadership.
It also called on media organisations to partner with the Directorate in communicating its programmes and objectives to Nigerians at home and abroad.
The Directorate said its campaign would be anchored on continuity, stability and prosperity, with an emphasis on communicating the administration’s policies and explaining the expected benefits of its economic reforms.
With the 2027 presidential election approaching, the APC’s diaspora mobilisation strategy seeks to strengthen the party’s international networks, encourage political engagement among Nigerians abroad and integrate diaspora advocacy into its broader re-election campaign.
The Directorate concluded with a call on Nigerians in the diaspora to remain engaged in the country’s political and economic development, expressing confidence in the administration’s vision of moving Nigeria from reforms to prosperity.
Cover Photo Caption: All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council Director of Diaspora Mobilisation and NiCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri (middle); Deputy Director II, Prince Ade Omole by her left; and Deputy Director III, Lady Kasham Musa Ilya, by her right; at the leadership meeting of the APC PCC Diaspora Mobilisation Directorate in Abuja on Wednesday.
