The All Progressives Congress (APC) has inaugurated the governing council of The Progressive Institute (TPI) as part of efforts to strengthen policy-based governance within the party and Nigeria’s political system.
The ceremony was held on Monday at the APC national secretariat in Abuja. National chairman of the party Professor Nentawe Yilwatda performed the inauguration.
Professor Yilwatda said the event concludes the process of establishing the institute’s governance structure, which was unveiled on September 6, 2024. According to him, the institute is designed to serve as the intellectual engine and policy think tank of the party.
He added that the institute was established at the instance of President Bola Tinubu to deepen ideological clarity within the APC, strengthen research capacity and promote issue-based politics across Nigeria’s party system. He said the aim is to build a democracy anchored on strong institutions rather than personalities.
The party chairman stated that the inauguration marks a new phase focused on governance reforms, leadership development, capacity building and evidence-based policymaking.
Professor Yilwatda said the institute has been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as a company limited by guarantee and has received approvals from the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Board for Technical Education. He added that the party complied with all statutory requirements to ensure the Institute’s independence and credibility.
He outlined the institute’s functions to include research and publication on public policy, governance and leadership; organisation of workshops and conferences; collaboration with APC organs on political strategy; and capacity building programmes covering leadership, ideology, public policy, elections and party values.
He said the institute will also serve as a platform for engagement between the party and the public and act as the institutional memory of the APC through documentation of party activities and decisions.
Describing the governing council as the highest decision-making organ of the institute, he said his position as chairman of the council was to ensure sustained policy focus at the highest level of party leadership. He assured that the president, the national working committee and party leaders nationwide would support the institute.
The council has nine members, with six ex officio management officials serving as observers.
Also speaking, director general of the institute Dr Lanre Adebayo said the institute has achieved registration and regulatory compliance, implemented capacity building programmes in several states and engaged international partners such as the European Union.
The event was attended by members of the national working committee, party leaders, council members and other stakeholders.
