The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has described opposition parties contesting the 2027 general elections as “just participants”, insisting that the ruling party is prepared to win at all levels.
Yilwatda made the statement on Saturday while briefing journalists at the end of a three-day retreat organised for members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) in Maiduguri, Borno State.
According to the APC chairman, the party has completed key preparations for the elections, including the inauguration of campaign councils and reconciliation committees.
He said the party remained confident in the candidates produced through its primary elections and had resolved to intensify its campaign ahead of the 2027 polls.
“The party is healthy, and we are confident we have produced the most credible and acceptable candidates to be elected,” Yilwatda said.
He added that the NWC had resolved to drive the party’s campaign and communicate what he described as the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to voters.
The party also passed a vote of confidence in President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and other APC candidates ahead of the elections.
Addressing concerns about internal disputes arising from the party’s primaries, Yilwatda said between 6,000 and 7,000 members participated in the exercise across the country, while about 100 cases had been taken to court.
“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.
Yilwatda also pointed to the APC’s early preparations for the 2027 elections, saying the party had already constituted its campaign council.
“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.
The APC chairman further contrasted the ruling party’s electoral record with that of what he described as the “major opposition parties”.
“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 also ended with the APC extending condolences to the government and people of Niger State over the deaths of 37 individuals who died in custody.
The party said it would continue its preparations and reconciliation efforts as it works towards the 2027 general elections.
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