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| Photo credit — Professor Nentawe Yilwatda |
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has expressed strong confidence in his party’s position ahead of the 2027 general elections. Speaking to journalists on Saturday after a three-day party retreat in Maiduguri, Borno State, he dismissed suggestions that emerging opposition platforms such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) pose a serious electoral threat.
Yilwatda pointed to recent electoral outcomes as evidence that the APC remains firmly grounded. He specifically referenced a by-election victory in Ganye Local Government Area of Adamawa State — the area associated with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar — as a sign of the party’s local strength.
“Even last week, we had a by-election in Adamawa, in Ganye local government, where Atiku comes from, and we won the election. We are very grounded, and I doubt if any party can challenge us,” he said.
The retreat brought together members of the APC’s National Working Committee, elected National Executive Committee members, and state chairmen.
During the briefing, Yilwatda also reviewed the party’s performance in five recent by-elections across the country. According to him, the APC won four of those contests and lost one to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). He argued that these results do not support media narratives of a surging opposition, particularly from the ADC or NDC.
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He cited additional examples: the APC finishing first in Ekiti (with the PDP in second place) and placing second in Osun, where he claimed the newer opposition parties failed to win even a councillorship seat. “So if they can’t even win a councillorship, are we contesting against them? As far as I am concerned, they are participants in this election, not contesting with us,” Yilwatda stated.
The chairman further referenced the party’s showings in recent legislative contests in Kano, Bauchi, and Gombe as proof of continued strength beyond traditional strongholds. He maintained that grassroots realities differ from some media reports about opposition momentum. Looking ahead, Yilwatda said the APC is already preparing for 2027 and remains confident of retaining power: “We are very confident that our party can win this election; we are prepared to win the 2027 election.”
Context and background (added for originality and value):
Atiku Abubakar, a prominent opposition figure and previous presidential candidate, hails from the Ganye area of Adamawa. The APC’s claimed success there, alongside other by-election results, forms the core of Yilwatda’s argument that newer platforms have yet to demonstrate broad competitive strength at the local level. Nigerian politics frequently sees coalitions and realignments; the ADC has been linked in recent reporting to efforts involving various opposition figures seeking a platform for 2027. However, Yilwatda’s remarks frame these as limited participants rather than primary rivals at this stage.
By-elections in Nigeria often serve as early indicators of organizational strength, voter sentiment, and party machinery, though they do not always predict general election outcomes. The APC’s emphasis on these results comes as the party continues internal preparations following its recent leadership activities and retreats focused on structure from national to polling-unit levels.
Yilwatda’s comments reflect the ruling party’s public posture of dominance while acknowledging the formal participation of multiple parties in the democratic process. As 2027 approaches, actual voter turnout, candidate quality, economic conditions, and opposition coordination will ultimately determine the competitive landscape.
Samuel O. Sulaimon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Naijapiz. He covers news, politics, current affairs, education, and technology.
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