By Fegor Ogene
Some meetings fill a hall; others set a movement in motion. The one-day in-house strategic workshop of the New Dynamic Forum (NDF), held on Friday, 23 October 2026, at Wetland Hotel, Mofor, Udu, was more than a political gathering. It was a moment of reflection, renewed energy and purposeful preparation for the electoral task ahead to achieve APC 5/5 in Udu LGA.
With over 1,000 participants in attendance, the workshop demonstrated the organisational reach of the Forum and the value of bringing leaders, ward and unit coordinators, and members under one roof to examine the road travelled and prepare for the road ahead.
Credit must go to the pragmatic National Chairman of NDF, Sir S.K. Palama, a renowned business magnate and APC political leader in Udu Local Government Area, whose initiative and leadership gave the gathering its strategic direction. The workshop was not simply about speeches, applause or the excitement of a large turnout. It was about sharpening minds, strengthening resolve and reminding members that elections are won not by noise alone, but by preparation, discipline, credibility and meaningful engagement with the people.
The contributions, both mental and physical energies of Sir S.K. Palama, National Chairman NDF, Elegbete Barr. Moses Odibo, Deputy National Chairman NDF, and the Director General, Hon. Chief Igho Akpojotor, were particularly noteworthy. Elegbete Barr. Moses Odibo, a political strategist and consultant, and an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in Boston, Massachusetts, brought valuable strategic perspective to the engagement, while the Director General’s organisational guidance complemented the broader objectives of the workshop. The physical presence, mental alertness and enthusiasm displayed throughout the event gave the gathering a sense of purpose.
Perhaps one of the most thought-provoking moments was the Chairman’s frank expression of disappointment over APC’s performance in the Udu House of Assembly by-election. Rather than gloss over the outcome, he challenged political leaders and coordinators to look inward, interrogate their methods and take responsibility for results. That message deserves serious reflection.
The by-election should not merely be remembered as a contest the APC won; it should also be studied as an opportunity to understand the gap between organisational strength and actual electoral performance. A large membership is an asset, but its true value is measured by effective translation into productive electoral results, public trust, voter engagement and responsible leadership. The lesson is clear; structures must do more than exist; they must deliver results.
Strategically, the workshop offered NDF an important opportunity to begin laying the groundwork for 2027 in practical terms. The emphasis on grassroots mobilisation, coordination across the ten wards, accountability and improved unit performance provides a useful foundation. The promise to reward the best-performing unit could also encourage healthy competition, provided performance is assessed transparently and responsibly.
According to the Director of Mobilisation, Hon. Chief Jite Brown, mobilisation must mean more than gathering supporters. It must include listening to communities, understanding their concerns, communicating policies honestly, keeping commitments and encouraging peaceful participation in the electoral process. The road to 2027 will require both the strength of organisation and the wisdom to earn public confidence.
The workshop also demonstrated why other political pressure groups, stakeholders and support organisations should consider replicating this model of internal political education and strategic review. In-house workshops of this nature create room for honest conversations, collective learning, leadership development and the correction of weaknesses that ordinary rallies may not address. A movement that periodically examines itself stands a better chance of remaining relevant, responsive and prepared.
For NDF, the gathering was both a recharge station and a call to duty. Members went home, by every indication, encouraged, fulfilled and politically energised, with a clearer sense of the assignment before them. Yet the real test of the workshop will not be the photographs taken or the applause received on the day; it will be what happens afterwards in the wards, units and communities.
As NDF looks towards the APC 5/5 aspiration in 2027, the task is to turn enthusiasm into structure, structure into service, and service into public confidence. The seed has been planted; the responsibility now rests with the leadership and membership to nurture it with discipline, consistency and sincerity.
Indeed, the Udu NDF/APC workshop was a timely reminder that the battle for tomorrow is best prepared for today. Under Sir S.K. Palama’s leadership, NDF has created an important platform for that preparation. The challenge now is to make every lesson count, every ward matter and every unit rise to the occasion.
– Fegor Ogene (JP) is the Director, Research and Strategic Communications, New Dynamic Forum (NDF)
