By Joy Odor, Reportcircle News
The ruling party has stepped onto a new battlefield not the campaign ground, but the arena of ideas.
In a ceremony rich with political symbolism at its National Secretariat, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, formally inaugurated the Governing Council of The Progressive Institute (TPI), a structure designed to craft policies, train leaders and ultimately influence how Nigeria is governed.
The event marked the completion of a governance framework first unveiled on September 6, 2024, but the real mission goes far beyond administration.
It is about controlling ideology, shaping governance and preserving political memory.
Yilwatda revealed the institute was established on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who envisioned a stronger, ideology-driven party system across the country.
“The Institute is the think tank and intellectual resource centre of our great party,” he declared.
According to him, the goal is to shift politics from personality contests to research-based governance, a professionalisation of power.
Despite being a ruling party initiative, the institute has been deliberately structured as an independent entity.
It is:
Registered as a company limited by guarantee
Approved by the Federal Ministry of Education as a training organisation
Accredited by the National Board for Technical Education
The Chairman said compliance with regulatory laws underscores APC’s commitment to rule of law and ensures the institute operates as a self-sustaining non-state body rather than a propaganda platform.
The lnstitute’s mandate effectively transforms it into the intellectual headquarters of the party.
It will:
Conduct research on governance, democracy and leadership
Publish policy journals and books
Train party officials and public leaders
Develop political strategies
Organise ideological conferences
Document party conventions, primaries and major decisions
In practical terms, it will write the party’s playbook, past, present and future.
In a strategic move, Yilwatda himself chairs the Governing Council to ensure direct supervision from the highest level of party leadership.
He urged APC governors and office holders nationwide to patronize the institute for research and training, positioning it as the official knowledge supplier to governments run by the party.
He also credited former party chairman Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for laying the groundwork that led to the institute’s establishment.
The Council, drawn from across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, is headed by Professor Nentawe Bushigora.
Among members is National Secretary Ajibola Bashiru.
Other members include Professor Musala Alimukankia, Dr. Larry Adebayo (Secretary), Professor Chris Kwaja, Professor Dogara Mato, Alhaji Muhammad Bulama Ngaze, Professor Ben Nannin and Barrister Achidjoge Baris.
Six ex-officio officials will serve as observers:
Rodolfo Sanusi — Programme & Training
Saeed Sule — Legal Services
Barrister Egokun Zuma — Administration
Professor Ademola Abbas — Human Resources
Alhaji Salihondo — Director
Alhaji Dauda — Planning
Nine governing members and six observers together form the Council expected to steer the institute.
Charging them, Yilwatda said the institute must influence governance, legislation and electoral success.
“We can drive policies in the National Assembly. We can drive governance. We can drive research for the party to win elections,” he said.
He described the assignment as both burden and opportunity, a chance for members to “write their names in gold”.
The Chairman emphasized the council reflects both North and South to prevent sectional dominance and guarantee inclusive policies.
“The whole country is represented here. If inclusiveness fails, then we fail at the policy level,” he warned.
The Institute, he added, will develop policies from national to grassroots levels to make the party more appealing to Nigerians.
In his response, the TPI Director-General disclosed the body has quietly operated since 2024 as an independent organisation modeled after international political foundations.
Activities already undertaken include:
Youth skill-acquisition programmes
Training of local government officials across states
Youth leadership and mentoring initiatives
A four-year strategic development plan
International engagement including a European Union delegation.
The aim, he said, is to equip young Nigerians with employable skills while preparing public office holders for governance responsibilities.
The institute will function simultaneously as:
Training academy for office holders
Policy factory for governments
Legislative research base
Electoral strategy centre
In essence, the APC is building an intellectual infrastructure designed to sustain influence beyond election cycles.
As the ceremony closed, Yilwatda reminded members they were pioneers, not merely appointees.
Their work, he said, will determine not just the party’s success but how Nigeria itself is governed.
