Mobilisation, Not Protests, Key to 2027 Victory, Opines YPP Presidential Aspirant

A presidential aspirant of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Jide Filani, has declared that effective voter mobilisation rather than street protests will determine success in Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

Filani made the remarks during a stakeholders’ engagement held in Abeokuta, where he addressed party members and supporters on strategies required to reposition the party ahead of the next electoral cycle. According to him, while protests remain a constitutional right, they do not automatically translate into electoral victory.

He argued that sustained grassroots engagement, voter registration drives, coalition-building, and disciplined participation in the democratic process are more reliable pathways to political change. Winning elections requires mobilisation at the polling units, not noise on the streets,” he said, stressing that voter apathy remains one of the biggest challenges confronting opposition parties.

The YPP aspirant also called for increased political education, particularly among young Nigerians, urging citizens to actively participate in party structures and electoral processes rather than disengage in frustration. Filani’s comments come amid heightened political realignments and early positioning by parties ahead of 2027.

Opposition parties are weighing coalition options as they seek to challenge the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He maintained that smaller parties must focus on building strong ward-to-ward structures, credible leadership, and clear policy alternatives in areas such as security, food production, youth employment, and economic reform.

Meanwhile, other political figures, including Faduri Oluwadare Joseph of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), have also begun declaring intentions to contest, signalling what analysts describe as the early onset of the 2027 political season.