The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will win the 2027 presidential election. According to Yilwatda, the party's internal opinion polls indicate that the APC is ahead of its political opponents. The polls were conducted across states, and Yilwatda described the statistics as reliable.
Yilwatda made these comments during an interview on Channels Television's Sunday Politics. He stated that the APC had done fact-finding and obtained statistics showing that it was leading. When asked if the polls indicated that Tinubu would win the election, Yilwatda replied in the affirmative. He expressed confidence that the APC would defeat the opposition, particularly the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
The APC chairman defended the economic policies of the Tinubu administration, arguing that the government's tax reforms would benefit low-income Nigerians while increasing revenue and expanding the number of taxpayers. He said the new tax regime was designed to favour poorer Nigerians and improve government revenue by bringing more people into the tax net. Yilwatda also defended the administration's power sector reforms, which allow state governments and private investors to participate in electricity generation, transmission and distribution.
Yilwatda compared Tinubu's performance with that of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the ADC's presidential candidate. He described Tinubu as a better choice for Nigerians, citing his record in Lagos State before becoming president and the infrastructure projects undertaken during his tenure. Yilwatda highlighted the growth in Lagos State's revenue under Tinubu, who governed the state from 1999 to 2007.
The APC chairman criticised the privatisation of public assets under previous administrations, arguing that some critical national infrastructure had been sold at prices far below the cost of construction. He cited the Ajaokuta Steel Company and an aluminium smelter in Akwa Ibom State, alleging that the assets were sold at a fraction of their original construction costs. Yilwatda used these examples to question Atiku's record in government and argued that Tinubu had a stronger economic record.
Yilwatda rejected allegations that the APC protects its members from prosecution over corruption allegations. He challenged opposition figures to provide evidence to support claims that the ruling party shields its members accused of wrongdoing. Yilwatda also criticised opposition claims about the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), accusing political opponents of misrepresenting figures relating to the student loan scheme.
The APC chairman addressed concerns about internal disagreements within the party ahead of the 2027 elections. He acknowledged tensions in some states, including Katsina, Kano and Kwara, but dismissed suggestions that the disputes posed an existential threat to the ruling party. Yilwatda said the party was engaging stakeholders to resolve disagreements and manage grievances arising from its internal political processes.
Key points
- APC chairman Nentawe Yilwatda says internal polls indicate President Bola Tinubu will win the 2027 presidential election.
- Yilwatda defends Tinubu's economic policies, citing tax reforms and power sector reforms.
- Yilwatda rejects allegations of corruption and criticises opposition claims about the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
