WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — The United States chapter of the Tinubu Torch Bearers has been inaugurated as supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expand efforts to mobilise Nigerians in the diaspora ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The development forms part of the broader expansion of the Tinubu Torch Bearers, a women-led grassroots mobilisation platform associated with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and established to promote the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda while building support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The group was formally inaugurated nationally in June 2026 by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu in Abuja. At the event, the First Lady described the initiative as a platform for communicating government policies, mobilising communities, encouraging civic participation and promoting national unity.
The Tinubu Torch Bearers has since continued expanding its organisational structure, with its leadership directing coordinators to strengthen grassroots engagement and communicate the administration’s programmes to Nigerians. The organisation says its activities are focused on mobilisation, advocacy, voter education and citizen engagement in support of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The establishment of a chapter in the United States gives the movement an avenue to engage Nigerian communities outside the country and encourage diaspora participation in political discussions ahead of the 2027 elections.
The US chapter is expected to support the organisation’s broader objective of presenting the achievements and policies of the Tinubu administration to Nigerians while encouraging supporters abroad to participate in political mobilisation.
The expansion also reflects the growing importance of diaspora networks in Nigerian politics. Nigerians living abroad have increasingly become involved in political advocacy, fundraising, policy discussions and campaigns surrounding elections in the country.
At the national inauguration, APC leaders described the Tinubu Torch Bearers as a vehicle for grassroots mobilisation and women empowerment. APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, represented by Deputy National Chairman (South) Benjamin Nwoye, said the initiative would provide a platform for national unity and citizen engagement.
The APC National Women Leader and founder of the Tinubu Torch Bearers, Mary Alile Idele, has also repeatedly urged members to intensify mobilisation ahead of the 2027 election. During an orientation programme for the group’s coordinators in July, she described the re-election of Tinubu as the organisation’s central objective and called on members to use strategic communication to explain the administration’s policies and achievements.
The group’s national coordinator, Ngozi Olejeme, has similarly instructed state and zonal coordinators to strengthen their presence at ward, local government and community levels. She said sustained grassroots mobilisation would be necessary to secure a second term for Tinubu and promote continuity of the administration’s reform agenda.
The movement’s activities have already extended beyond Nigeria’s borders and across different regions of the country. In July, the organisation was involved in political mobilisation efforts targeting millions of women across the South-East and South-South, with organisers stressing the importance of voter education, community engagement and participation in the electoral process.
The US chapter’s inauguration therefore represents another step in the group’s effort to create a wider network of supporters ahead of the next general election. Its activities are expected to focus on engaging Nigerians in the United States and communicating the political message of the Tinubu administration.
For the Tinubu Torch Bearers, the expansion is also an opportunity to strengthen the role of women and diaspora Nigerians in political participation. The organisation has consistently presented itself as a platform through which supporters can promote government programmes and engage citizens at different levels.
However, as the 2027 election approaches, the group’s activities are likely to become increasingly political, particularly as various parties and support groups intensify efforts to win voters and build campaign structures.
The inauguration of the US chapter underscores the increasingly international dimension of Nigeria’s electoral politics, with political movements seeking support and engagement not only within the country but also among Nigerians living abroad.
With the Tinubu Torch Bearers continuing to establish structures and mobilise supporters, the US chapter is expected to contribute to the group’s broader campaign to strengthen support for President Tinubu’s second-term bid and promote the administration’s Renewed Hope message among Nigerians in the diaspora.
