The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has described the party’s ongoing nationwide primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections as the most competitive in Nigeria’s political history.
Yilwatda made the statement on Wednesday while speaking with journalists after meeting President Bola Tinubu at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos.
According to him, the large number of aspirants contesting for elective positions across the country reflects the growing acceptance and influence of the APC nationwide.
“In just simple demand and supply, we have a few positions and thousands of people contesting for them across the country. It is the most competitive exercise ever in Nigeria’s political history,” he said.
The APC chairman stated that the development showed the party had penetrated communities across the country and remained the preferred platform for many political leaders and aspirants.
He commended aspirants for what he described as a disciplined and peaceful conduct throughout the exercise, noting that the primaries had remained largely organised with minimal complaints.
Yilwatda also revealed that President Tinubu expressed satisfaction with the logistics deployed for the direct primaries and the reduced level of violence recorded during the process.
“This is the first time we are conducting nationwide direct primaries on such a scale, almost like a general election in terms of logistics and preparation. The President is impressed with the coordination and the reduced number of crises recorded so far,” he said.
He added that Tinubu had provided both moral and institutional support to the National Working Committee to ensure strict compliance with party regulations.
Speaking on complaints surrounding consensus arrangements in some states, Yilwatda insisted that the APC guidelines were clear and had been followed accordingly.
He explained that aspirants participating in consensus arrangements were required to voluntarily sign consent forms before such agreements could be recognised by the party.
According to him, where consensus failed, the party resorted to direct primaries in line with established guidelines.
The APC chairman acknowledged that some aggrieved members were expected after the primaries but said the party had already established internal conflict resolution mechanisms to manage disputes and maintain unity ahead of the 2027 elections.
The APC primaries, which began on May 15, are expected to produce candidates for various elective positions ahead of the next general election.
