Uzor Kalu urges APC leaders to focus on local voters instead of rallies

Abia North Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has told All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders to focus on grassroots work before the 2027 general elections. He believes they should stop following President Bola Tinubu to campaign rallies across the country.

Kalu, who used to be the governor of Abia State, said party leaders need to stay in their own areas. They should engage voters, strengthen party structures, and build support at the ward and local government levels.

The senator, who is in charge of parliamentary mobilization for the South-east, shared this idea in a statement called “The APC Presidential Campaign Council and the Need for a Leaner Campaign Train,” according to Vanguard newspaper on Monday.

He suggested that the president should go to rallies with a smaller group. Other important party members should focus on gathering support in their political areas.

Kalu’s advice comes just days after the APC Presidential Campaign Council told ministers, political appointees, and campaign council members to attend only rallies in their home states.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the council sent out this instruction in a circular on 3 November, signed by its Director-General, Abdulaziz Yari. The directive was aimed at improving coordination and boosting grassroots mobilization ahead of the elections.

The council also decided to use a pyramid-style mobilization strategy. This strategy focuses on building political support starting from polling units, through wards and local government areas, up to the state level.

In this setup, party officials are expected to gather voters in their areas instead of just following the president around during campaign events. Kalu pointed out that effective mobilization must start at the ward level, where party leaders can connect directly with voters.

He remembered leading over 4,000 APC members from Igbere Wards A and B in Bende Local Government Area during the party's presidential primary in May. He said this experience showed how important it is to build political structures and strengthen grassroots support.

Kalu believes the party's chances in the 2027 elections depend largely on its ability to keep engaging directly with voters in their communities. He stressed that a campaign's success should not be judged by how many political leaders are with the president at rallies, but by how strong the party's structures are and how well it connects with voters at the grassroots level.

Kalu’s comments support the campaign council’s recent order that limits political appointees and campaign officials to rallies in their home states. This is part of the APC's preparations for the upcoming 2027 general elections.