Yilwatda chairs APC think-tank, says Tinubu building resilient political system

2026-02-23 - 16:46

By Omeiza Ajayi National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has inaugurated the Governing Council of The Progressive Institute, TPI, describing it as a cornerstone of President Bola Tinubu’s vision to institutionalise research-driven politics in Nigeria. Speaking on Monday during the inauguration of the TPI board at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, Yilwatda revealed that the Institute was established on the president’s direct instructions to serve as the party’s intellectual resource centre. The move, he noted, is designed to move beyond mere political mobilisation towards a system rooted in ideology and public policy. Prof. Yilwatda emphasised that the president’s vision for the Institute extends beyond the ruling party, aiming to set a standard for the entire Nigerian political landscape. “The President envisages a more virile and resilient political party system in the country. It was established as part of a concerted and deliberate effort, not only to strengthen the ideological and research capacity of the All Progressives Congress APC, but to encourage a research and ideological-driven orientation in other political parties in Nigeria”, he said. To ensure the Institute operates as an independent and self-sustaining non-state organisation, the party said it has ensured full compliance with national regulations. “The Institute is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, as a Company Limited by Guarantee and has secured approvals from the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE”, he said. According to him, the Institute’s mandate is extensive, serving as the “institutional memory” of the APC by documenting all party activities, primaries and National Executive Committee NEC decisions. It is also tasked with undertaking research on leadership and governance, and executing capacity-building programmes in areas such as intra-party governance, public policy, and election-related matters. In a move to provide policy and strategic attention at the highest level, the National Chairman confirmed that he would personally chair the Governing Council. He credited his predecessor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, for the initial efforts to establish the Institute and praised the selected council members for their outstanding pedigree. “The Council is the highest organ of the Institute whose role is fundamental to the future of the Institute, especially in realising the vision of the Party. “Our desire is to establish The Progressive Institute as a world-class institution that will compete with the best in its category”, he said. The Chairman called on APC governors and party elders to support the new organisation by outsourcing their training and consultancy needs to the Institute, ensuring it becomes a central pillar of the “Renewed Hope” administration’s intellectual framework. Vanguard News