APC National Integrity Movement (ANIM) is another standout group that made the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the recent general elections possible. It was formed specifically as a vehicle to champion the interests of APC by canvassing votes for the party’s candidates. The difference between ANIM and other groups is that while other groups operate as support groups, ANIM is formed as a movement to complement the role of APC leadership in mobilizing support for the electoral success of APC and electoral victory of president Tinubu.
Its membership is drawn from several influential groups that have made significant contributions within the realm of Nigerian governance. They include some former members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of APC; members of APC legacy parties; some serving and past zonal leaders of APC); serving and past members of the National Assembly; and some Serving and past members of State Houses of Assembly. Others include some serving and past members of Boards of Trustees (BOT) of MDAs; and some serving and past commissioners and Heads of MDAs. The contributions of all these critical stakeholder groups are considered as invaluable assets to the achievement of APC ANIM’s goals.
Hon. Sadiq Abubakar Sa’adu Fakai, National Leader of APC ANIM, said the movement rooted for the Tinubu presidency because they see in him “a practical and demonstrable evidence of performance in reference to his tenures in Lagos, which, if allowed to be replicated at the national level, would, in the shortest possible time, produce the Nigeria many have dreamt of.
“A vote for Tinubu is a vote for prosperity, a vote for security, a vote for employment, a vote for good governance, a vote for good roads, a vote for quality educational system, a vote for quality health facilities, a vote against nepotism and a vote to destroy the structures of corruption in the country.”
A former Governor of Nasarawa State and a supporter of APC ANIM, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, said the group had so much to showcase to the electorate. “You can prove beyond doubt that Asiwaju has two attributes that stand him clearly above any other candidates: this man was a soldier of democracy, this is a man who saw democracy and he stood up to the challenges and made so many sacrifices for this country to ensure that democracy is surviving in this country.”
To actualize its mandate, vision and mission, ANIM was ably guided and supported by its Grand Patron, His Excellency, Vice President Kashim Shettima (GCON). Under his guidance and support, the movement was able to tour the length and breadth of the country to canvass for support and votes for the Presidential ticket of the party and other candidates across the country. The movement meticulously canvassed for votes right from the polling units, council wards, zones, local government councils, and states nationwide through the use of Canvassers, Mobilizers, Coordinators, Leaders as well as the National structure.
APC ANIM with its national spread, proved its political prowess, strength and undiluted loyalty by its purpose-driven initiatives which were very impactful through programmes initiated before, during and after the elections. The movement, in the build-up to the 2023 general elections, engaged critical stakeholders such as Kashim Shettima, some serving Governors, National Assembly members and others in order to plan its modalities on how best to win the elections. After vigorous consultations the movement went ahead to develop an election strategic pointer, a framework that would ensure victory of the party at the polls. Measures put in place include but not limited to appointment of polling unit Mobilizers, ward Canvassers, Local Government Council Coordinators, State Leaders, and the National Organogram. All these were deployed to the victory of the February 25, 2023 presidential elections.
The group deployed its canvassas across the 774 local government areas to sensitise and mobilize voters for the election and distributed over 10 million campaign materials for sensitization and mobilization across the country. It organized a one-million-man match in Kebbi State in support of Tinubu and Shettima and the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the state, Alhaji Nasiru Idris. There were similar and other activities in Abuja and other states.
After the elections were won by APC, the movement, through a well organized world press conference, congratulated the President-elect and also called its supporters nationwide to come out enmass and defend the mandate which Nigerians willingly gave to the presidential candidate of APC. To do this, the movement collaborated with other support groups by mobilizing supporters for a 40-day count-down gathering, live at the Unity Fountain every day to show support for the President-elect.
The movement later organized an event which was first of its kind, tagged ‘Appreciation Award Night’ to celebrate and appreciate heroes and heroines of 2023 general elections. It was ANIM’s way of instituting a reward system which is very key in managing victory in an election, to motivate recipients to do more going forward as well as to start consultative engagements towards 2027 general elections. “The movement sees beyond 2023 general elections which is why it felt the need that, through this motivational gestures to those foot soldiers who fought hard to ensure the party’s victory, if appreciated, would increase the output of next general elections,” Hon. Fakai said.
