The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has called on party members in the Diaspora to embrace unity as a strategic tool for strengthening the party and projecting Nigeria positively on the global stage.
Professor Yilwatda made the call while delivering a keynote address via Zoom at an economic summit held in New York, United States.
The summit was organised by the APC National Chairman’s Special Adviser on Diaspora Coordination and Mobilisation, Professor Tai Balofin.
Addressing participants, Yilwatda urged APC members across the United States and other countries to work collectively, stressing that unity remains the party’s greatest asset in advancing national development and sustaining political cohesion abroad.
He encouraged Diaspora members to effectively utilise the Office of the Special Adviser on Diaspora Matters as a liaison platform for resolving party-related concerns, underscoring the critical role of the Diaspora in Nigeria’s socio-economic progress.
The APC chairman commended APC USA for resolving past internal differences and presenting a united front, describing the development as a positive signal for deeper engagement and credibility within the international community.
Professor Yilwatda reaffirmed the appointment of Professor Tai Balofin as Special Adviser on Diaspora Coordination and Mobilisation, with a mandate for worldwide engagement.
He urged APC members in the United States and other countries to collaborate fully with Professor Balofin, stressing that the APC Diaspora structure remains constitutionally recognised and has never been dissolved.
He further called on groups previously operating outside the recognised party framework to realign with the official APC Diaspora structure in the interest of unity, stability, and progress.
The National Chairman also expressed appreciation to distinguished participants at the summit, including Nigeria’s Consul General in New York, Ambassador Abubakar Jidda; Acting Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, Ambassador Syndoph Endoni; Founder of Women Leaders Support Advancement, Deborah Jan Hornecker; and the Mayor of Linden, New Jersey, Derek Armstead, among other stakeholders.
In his remarks, Mayor Armstead highlighted the mutual benefits of stronger investment collaboration between Nigeria and the United States, noting that cities such as Linden—with a significant Nigerian Diaspora population—stand to gain from enhanced bilateral economic ties and people-to-people partnerships.
Also speaking, Professor Tai Balofin described the summit as a critical platform for uniting the APC globally, mobilising the Nigerian Diaspora, and attracting sustainable investments.
He reaffirmed the party’s commitment to progressive values, Diaspora empowerment, and stronger Nigeria–U.S. partnerships, adding that the event also advanced ongoing digital membership registration for Nigerians living abroad.
Guardian
