National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has expressed confidence in the party's electoral prospects ahead of the 2027 general elections. He dismissed the threat posed by opposition parties, stating that they would merely participate in the polls rather than mount a serious contest against the ruling party. Yilwatda made these remarks at a three-day retreat in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, which brought together members of the National Working Committee (NWC), elected National Executive Committee (NEC) members, and state chairmen of the party.
According to Yilwatda, the APC's electoral prospects remain formidable, citing recent outcomes from five by-elections held across the country. The party secured victory in four of the contests, losing only one to the Action Peoples Movement (APM), not to the major opposition parties often touted in the media. He referenced specific elections, such as the one in Ekiti, where the party came first, and Osun, where it came second. The PDP, not the ADC or NDC, was the party that came second in Ekiti.
Yilwatda further highlighted electoral data from off-cycle polls in Osun and legislative contests in the North, including Kano, Bauchi, and Gombe, where the APC recorded strong showings. He argued that media narratives regarding opposition momentum do not align with realities on the ground. The APC chairman cited a recent by-election in Adamawa, in Ganye local government, where Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the PDP, comes from, and the APC won the election.
The APC chairman also announced that the party leadership observed a moment of mourning, extending condolences to the government and people of Niger State over the tragic loss of 37 miners. The NWC conducted a comprehensive review of the party's structures from the national level down to the polling units, giving the APC a "clean bill of health" as a strong, healthy, and well-oiled machine heading into 2027.
The retreat passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and all party candidates emerging from primary elections. Yilwatda remarked that the party produces some of the most credible candidates, most acceptable, and most prepared to serve the people of Nigeria. The party also resolved to intensify grassroots reconciliation efforts, urging state chapters to establish committees to consolidate unity and preserve past electoral gains.
The NWC pledged to lead campaigns from the front, highlighting the administration's achievements. Yilwatda expressed optimism about the APC's widening national appeal, citing recent electoral breakthroughs in areas traditionally considered opposition strongholds, such as winning senatorial seats in states where the party previously struggled.
Concluding the briefing, Yilwatda expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their support over the past three years and called on citizens and party faithful to turn out en masse to re-elect President Tinubu and other APC candidates in 2027. He emphasized the party's confidence in its ability to win the 2027 election.
Key points
- The APC has won four out of five recent by-elections in the country.
- The party has passed a vote of confidence in President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, and its candidates.
- Yilwatda dismissed the threat posed by opposition parties like ADC and NDC, saying they are not serious contenders.
