Politics is Local: Local Relevance is the Foundation for National Prominence
By Bamidele Atoyebi
As Lagos heads to the polls today, the media spotlight is understandably on the major players and their expected victories. But beneath the big names and predictable headlines lies a powerful example of what politics should look like at the grassroots level. That example is Honourable Bambam.
In a political culture often defined by last-minute appearances and photo-op populism, Hon. Bambam is charting a different path one grounded in consistency, visibility, and results. His recent financial and logistical support to APC candidates in Apapa may look like just another campaign boost. But look closer, and you’ll see a rare blend of ideological loyalty and tactical brilliance.
This is not someone who waits to benefit from electoral success before investing in people. He shows up beforehand, every time. Whether it’s ₦500,000 to constituency chairmen or thousands of campaign materials distributed, Bambam doesn’t just support his party he powers it from the bottom up.
His engagement with the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) is another overlooked masterstroke. In speaking directly to artisans, people often ignored elite-driven politics, and he reminded them of their electoral power. It wasn’t a rally. It was a conversation. In it, he acknowledged their importance and urged them to show up. That’s leadership rooted in respect.
In that conversation, Hon. Bambam also echoed a profound truth that’s often lost in our top-down politics: if governance is strong at the local level, the nation will be stronger for it. He made the case that governance should be local, because when communities are secure, the country is safer; when there’s food security in wards and villages, there’s food security in the federation; and when people at the grassroots have access to quality roads, schools, and healthcare, the burden on the federal government becomes lighter. It’s a compelling logic and one that aligns with global best practices on decentralization and citizen-centered development.
Hon. Bambam also didn’t shy away from addressing one of the biggest threats to local democracy: voter apathy. He openly expressed concern that too many people view local elections as irrelevant or unworthy of participation. That’s why his outreach wasn’t just about mobilization it was about restoring belief in the power of the ballot, especially at the grassroots level where change should begin.
More importantly, as the convener of the BAT Ideological Group, Hon. Bambam is living out the principles President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stands for: decentralization, local accountability, and people-driven governance. He understands that with direct allocations flowing to local governments, the real battle isn’t just to win votes it’s to elect those who will use that power responsibly.
Critics may dismiss his efforts as routine campaign rituals. But the truth is, nothing about Nigerian local elections is routine. Voter apathy is high, trust in council officials is low, and money often flows without purpose. So when a leader ties financial support to strategy, inclusion, and ideological clarity, it deserves more than applause it deserves replication.
As results begin to trickle in, the real victory may not just be in how many seats the APC wins in Lagos, but in how politics was done differently in Apapa. If more political actors approached grassroots elections with Bambam’s seriousness, perhaps the local councils we often ignore would start to reflect the kind of governance we all deserve.
Let’s stop treating local elections as secondary. Hon. Bambam clearly doesn’t. And neither should we.
Bamidele Atoyebi, the Convenor of the BAT Ideological Group, engages in accountability and policy monitoring while also serving as a social worker, criminologist, maritime administrator, and philanthropist. He sent this message from Abuja.
