Ongoing APC primaries are most competitive in Nigeria’s history — Yilwatda

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared the party’s ongoing primary elections the most competitive internal selection process in the political history of Nigeria.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos following a high-level briefing with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Yilwatda asserted that the intense contest serves as a definitive indicator of the ruling party’s vast penetration and acceptance across the federation.

He explained that a massive surge of aspirants is currently vying for a highly limited pool of elective positions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to the party chair, this supply-and-demand imbalance proves that the APC remains the premier vehicle for aspiring leaders nationwide.

While evaluating the ongoing exercise, Yilwatda described the atmosphere as remarkably organized and disciplined, attributing the successful rollout to thorough logistical preparations.

He noted that President Tinubu expressed deep satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise, particularly commending the party’s capacity to deploy resources effectively and maintain a largely peaceful environment.

Despite the broadly positive assessment, the APC Chairman acknowledged the presence of internal friction, noting that the process has not been entirely free of tension.

He conceded that the party has received complaints from certain state chapters regarding consensus arrangements and localized disagreements.

Addressing these grievances directly, Yilwatda reassured party members that the APC’s constitutional guidelines are explicit and unyielding.

He emphasized that the party infrastructure includes robust mechanisms designed to manage and resolve grievances swiftly.

He further clarified that where consensus arrangements fail to yield a unanimous candidate, the party strictly defaults to direct primaries to ensure a fair and democratic outcome for all aspirants.