The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has said the ruling party remains Nigeria’s most stable political party, citing its membership strength, governing structure and internal organisation.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, Yilwatda said the APC currently has about 12.9 million registered members submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that the figure exceeds the combined membership of all other political parties in the country.
“We have about 12.9 million registered voters that we submitted to INEC. If you put all the political parties together, they don’t add up to APC’s registered members,” he stated.
According to him, the APC’s organisational strength and internal coordination distinguish it from rival parties, adding that the party has evolved into one of the most structured political organisations in Nigeria since its formation in 2013.
“We have a stable party. In terms of governance and governing structure of a political party, we have the best governing structure in Nigeria right now as a political party,” he said.
Responding to allegations of irregularities during the APC presidential primary, Yilwatda dismissed viral videos circulating online as unverified, insisting that official records and data should remain the basis for assessing the credibility of the process.
“Anyone could say it seems, because some of these videos are old videos, unverified sources. People can mimic counting at any point. People can do their drama. But I work with data,” he stressed.
The APC chairman also rejected suggestions that the party revolves around a single political power centre, noting that President Bola Tinubu has long served as a rallying figure within the APC even before contesting for office.
“In 2013, when we formed APC, President Tinubu was not contesting. But he was a rallying point of the APC. He galvanized his support, galvanized his network, and ensured that he became the rallying point of APC,” he said.
Yilwatda added that Tinubu’s leadership has helped deepen internal democracy and strengthen party governance structures over the years.
Addressing complaints and protests arising from recent party primaries, he disclosed that the APC had ordered reruns in some areas where concerns were considered genuine and was currently reviewing petitions submitted by aggrieved members.
“All areas where there are concerns, we’ve mandated for a rerun in some places. In areas of concern, we’ve asked them to put in petitions. We’re reviewing them. We ensure that we follow the law,” he maintained.
On the role of governors in endorsing aspirants during party primaries, Yilwatda said such political backing was common and not prohibited under the party’s constitution or the Electoral Act.
“It can happen. But most times, sometimes it may be an advantage, sometimes it’s also a disadvantage. In some states, governors anointed some people, and they lost,” he explained.
He said his leadership was focused on improving transparency within the party through data-driven processes and automation while strengthening internal democracy and supporting long-term national development goals.
“I want to be remembered as a chairman that led the party through a transparent system. Improving transparency within the party, the automation we’ve done, and the register we have will prove that you can have data-driven decision-making within the party,” he said.
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