We are the most prepared’: APC chairman talks up party’s 2027 chances

The national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has dismissed the electoral threat posed by opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing them as “just participants” while expressing confidence in the ruling party’s preparations.

Yilwatda spoke on Saturday at the end of a three-day retreat for members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) in Maiduguri, Borno state.

The APC chairman said the party had reviewed its structures from the national level to polling units and considered itself prepared for the elections. The party has also established campaign and reconciliation structures as it intensifies preparations for the polls.

“The party is healthy, and we are confident we have produced the most credible and acceptable candidates to be elected,” Yilwatda said.

He said the NWC would take a leading role in the campaign and promote what the APC considers the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The retreat also passed a vote of confidence in Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima and candidates who emerged from the APC primaries.

Addressing disputes arising from the primaries, Yilwatda said between 6,000 and 7,000 members participated across the country, while about 100 cases had reached the courts.

He argued that the number represented a relatively small proportion of participants and rejected suggestions that the litigation indicated widespread internal problems within the party.

Yilwatda also pointed to the APC’s early establishment of a campaign council as evidence of its preparations, while contrasting its organisation with those of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

He cited recent electoral contests as further evidence for the APC’s confidence, saying the party had performed strongly in several elections. Reports of the briefing said Yilwatda pointed to recent results in Ekiti, Osun and legislative by-elections to support his argument.

“We are the most prepared; we contested in many elections and won,” he said.

Referring to opposition parties, Yilwatda added: “As far as I am concerned, they are just participants in this election.”

The remarks represent the APC chairman’s assessment of the political contest rather than an independent indication of the eventual outcome of the 2027 elections.

The party said it would continue its campaign and reconciliation efforts ahead of the polls.

At the end of the retreat, the APC also expressed condolences to the government and people of Niger state over the deaths of 37 miners.