The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has dismissed the electoral prospects of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing them as “just participants” in the contest.
Yilwatda made the remark on Saturday, September 26, while speaking with journalists after a three-day retreat for members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The APC chairman said the ruling party had made substantial preparations for the elections and was confident of securing victories across the various levels of the contest.
He pointed to the inauguration of campaign councils and reconciliation committees as part of the measures already taken by the party to strengthen its preparations.
“The party is healthy, and we are confident we have produced the most credible and acceptable candidates to be elected,” Yilwatda said.
According to him, the NWC had resolved to take charge of the APC’s campaign and effectively communicate what the party considers the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to voters.
The party also passed a vote of confidence in Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima and other APC candidates ahead of the elections.
Yilwatda acknowledged that disputes had emerged from the party’s primary elections but argued that the number of court cases was relatively small compared with the number of members who participated in the exercise nationwide.
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“With 6,000 to 7,000 members who participated in the primary elections, we have about 100 cases in court; that means an average of less than 3 cases per state.
“It means just 1 per cent of the people that participated in the election went to court; do you think my party is in bad shape? Only 1 per cent went to court. We are very confident our party would win the elections,” he said.
He also cited the APC’s early campaign preparations, contrasting them with those of opposition parties.
“APC is the first to constitute a campaign council; I don’t think any other party has done that. NDC constituted 1 and later said it’s a support group; ADC only announced the leaders and is yet to constitute their campaign council,” he said.
Yilwatda further relied on the APC’s previous electoral record to reinforce his argument that the ruling party was better prepared for the 2027 contest.
“We are the most prepared; we contested in many elections and won. The major opposition parties you are talking about, none of them has ever won a councilorship; as far as I am concerned, they are just participants in this election,” he said.
The retreat ended with the APC expressing condolences to the government and people of Niger State over the deaths of 37 individuals in custody.
The party said it would continue reconciliation efforts and preparations for the 2027 elections.