The National Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has asserted his party’s dominant position in the country’s political landscape, dismissing the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a negligible force.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Yilwatda said the APC remains the party to beat, citing the defection of opposition governors as proof of its growing appeal. He directly challenged the notion that the ADC constitutes a serious rival, stating, “For every one person they have, we have five, six of them,” and adding, “ADC is not a match at all for the APC.”
The chairman also rejected allegations that the APC is coercing civil servants to join the party. He characterised the claims as opposition projections and issued a direct challenge to critics. “We have never asked anybody, we have never appealed to any civil servant,” Yilwatda stated. “Nobody has forced any civil servant in a letter, verbal [communication]… bring one video to that effect and I will apologise.”
Regarding the formation of a broad opposition coalition that includes prominent figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, and ex-Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola, Yilwatda maintained that the APC is neither threatened nor desperate. He stressed that the party’s numerical strength and influence are organic, not the result of intimidation.
These comments come amid ongoing negotiations among opposition figures seeking a united front for the 2027 general elections. Yilwatda’s robust defence of the APC’s position is aimed at projecting unwavering confidence and discouraging potential defections from the ruling party. His remarks underscore the APC’s strategy of framing its governance as broadly supported while painting opposition efforts as fragmented and ineffective. The narrative sets the stage for what is likely to be a fiercely contested political contest as the next electoral cycle approaches.
