By Matthew Johnson

The Convener of a political group, BAT Ideological Group, BAT-IG, Mr. Bamidele Atoyebi, has called on the All Progressives Congress, APC, to build a stronger and more inclusive structure that prioritises committed party members and grassroots supporters.

Atoyebi, in a statement titled, “BAT-Home-Cell: said APC Needs be More Committed, Dedicated to Members, explaining that the ongoing APC primaries have shown a shift from elite-driven candidate selection to a process that allows popular and capable individuals to emerge.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for allowing greater grassroots participation, describing him as a leader who understands the demands of ordinary party members for proper representation.

Atoyebi maintained that President Tinubu is widely known for assisting people who have direct access to him, adding that the challenge lies with intermediaries and representatives who fail to properly manage relationships between the government and supporters.

He alleged that many appointees become inaccessible after assuming office, relying on gatekeepers and shutting out loyal party members who understand the challenges facing communities.

Atoyebi proposed the creation of dedicated departments within the APC focused on emergency response, welfare, healthcare, policy coordination and capacity building.

To address the gap, he pointed to his “BAT-Home-Cell” initiative, which he described as a structured grassroots network aimed at identifying loyal members, monitoring participation and ensuring supporters benefit from their contributions to the party.

Drawing from personal experiences, he recounted visiting the Tinubu Support Group office where he met a female supporter who volunteered to clean a dirty restroom for a token despite years of loyalty to the party.

According to him “ the old style of imposing candidates often produced leaders disconnected from the people and careless with public resources meant for development and party welfare.
“Atoyebi explained that the same level of scrutiny applied during party primaries should also extend to political appointments, including ministers and heads of government agencies.
“Some frustrated loyalists have become receptive to criticism over fuel prices, electricity costs and living conditions because they lack adequate political orientation and support.
“Atoyebi cited government programmes such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET, initiatives, as well as infrastructure projects including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, as examples of projects the opposition allegedly ignores despite their economic impact.
“He said the encounter, alongside similar experiences during reconciliation tours and grassroots mobilisation efforts, revealed widespread feelings of abandonment among party faithful.
“Atoyebi said he remains available to support the implementation of strategies aimed at ensuring the ruling party’s long-term stability and grassroots growth.
“Economy hardship and poor communication have made many APC supporters vulnerable to opposition narratives, especially on social media where APC members believe the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, appears more organised in rewarding loyal supporters with appointments, while longstanding APC faithful are sometimes overlooked in favour of defectors from rival parties.
“He stated that integrating BAT-IG into structures would strengthen the party beyond 2031 and protect grassroots members from manipulation by opposition groups through financial inducements and misinformation.”