National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared that the ruling party remains Nigeria’s strongest political platform, claiming its membership strength surpasses the combined numbers of every other registered political party in the country.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Monday, Yilwatda said the APC currently has about 12.9 million registered members submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a figure he said reflects the party’s reach, organisation and staying power.
“We have about 12.9 million registered voters that we submitted to INEC. If you put all the political parties together, they don’t add up to APC’s registered members,” he said.
The APC chairman described the party as the most organised political structure in Nigeria, arguing that its internal governance model, decision-making process and administrative framework set it apart from its rivals.
“We have a stable party. In terms of governance and governing structure of a political party, we have the best governing structure in Nigeria right now as a political party,” he stated.
Responding to criticism surrounding the party’s recent presidential primary, Yilwatda dismissed videos circulating on social media alleging irregularities, insisting that verified records and official data should guide public judgment, not what he called unconfirmed digital content.
“Anyone could say it seems, because some of these videos are old videos, unverified sources. People can mimic counting at any point. People can do their drama. But I work with data,” he said.
He also pushed back against claims that the APC revolves around a single political power bloc, pointing to President Bola Tinubu’s long-standing role in building and consolidating the party before he emerged as a presidential contender.
“In 2013, when we formed APC, President Tinubu was not contesting. But he was a rallying point of the APC. He galvanized his support, galvanized his network, and ensured that he became the rallying point of APC,” Yilwatda said.
On complaints arising from party primaries across some states, the APC chairman said the leadership had already ordered reruns in locations where concerns were found to be credible and was reviewing petitions filed by aggrieved members.
“All areas where there are concerns, we’ve mandated for a rerun in some places. In areas of concern, we’ve asked them to put in petitions. We’re reviewing them. We ensure that we follow the law,” he said.
Yilwatda also defended the role governors sometimes play in backing preferred aspirants during primaries, saying political endorsements are not illegal and do not always guarantee victory.
“It can happen. But most times, sometimes it may be an advantage, sometimes it’s also a disadvantage. In some states, governors anointed some people, and they lost,” he explained.
Looking ahead, the APC chairman said his leadership would prioritise transparency, digital reforms and data-driven administration within the party, adding that he wants his tenure remembered for strengthening internal democracy and institutional credibility.
“I want to be remembered as a chairman that led the party through a transparent system. Improving transparency within the party, the automation we’ve done, and the register we have will prove that you can have data-driven decision-making within the party,” he said.
