The All Progressives Congress (APC) has inaugurated the governing council of the Progressive Institute (TPI), its newly established think tank, in a move aimed at strengthening ideology-driven politics and promoting evidence-based policymaking in Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that the party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, performed the inauguration on Monday at the APC national secretariat in Abuja.
Yilwatda described the development as a significant milestone in the institutional strengthening of both the APC and Nigeria’s broader political landscape.
He noted that the institute, which was unveiled on September 6, 2024, is designed to serve as the party’s intellectual engine and policy think tank.
According to him, the inauguration completes the governance framework of the institute and firmly positions it as the APC’s central platform for policy research and ideological development.
Yilwatda said the institute was established at the instance of President Bola Tinubu as part of deliberate efforts to deepen ideological clarity within the APC, enhance research capacity, and promote issue-based politics across Nigeria’s party system.
He added that the president’s vision is to nurture a more resilient, competitive, and policy-focused democracy anchored on strong institutions rather than personalities.
The APC chairman disclosed that the TPI has been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as a company limited by guarantee and has secured approvals from the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Yilwatda said that although the APC is the ruling party, it ensured strict compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements to safeguard the institute’s independence, credibility, and sustainability as a non-state institution, underscoring its commitment to the rule of law.
He outlined the institute’s core functions to include conducting research and publishing on public policy, governance, democratisation, and leadership; organising workshops, conferences, and capacity-building programmes on ideology, intra-party democracy, elections, and APC values; and collaborating with party organs on strategic initiatives.
The institute will also facilitate engagement between the party and the wider Nigerian society.
Yilwatda said the governing council — the institute’s highest decision-making body — comprises nine members representing Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to ensure national balance and inclusivity.
He added that six ex-officio management officials will serve as observers, while members were selected based on expertise, experience, and commitment to national development, drawing from academia, policy circles, and party leadership.
Yilwatda will chair the council to ensure sustained high-level strategic direction.
