The national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has expressed confidence that the party is on course for victory in the 2027 general elections, following its strong showing in last weekend’s legislative bye-elections.
Yilwatda spoke in Abuja on Monday while receiving members of the APC Press Corps, who paid him a condolence visit over the passing of his mother, Madam Lydia Yilwatda, on Sunday.
While appreciating the journalists for their solidarity, the APC chairman reflected on the party’s electoral triumphs, noting that the results demonstrated its growing grassroots support across the country.
Reacting to the outcome of the polls, Yilwatda said opposition leaders were “roundly defeated” even in their strongholds, stressing that criticism from the opposition had only strengthened the ruling party.
“We are learning from their criticism. Every criticism they give helps us to a better victory. So we are very sure that our party will succeed in no small measure,” he said.
“If you look at it, where the opposition leaders are, we all defeated them in all those locations. From Kaduna to Kano to Adamawa to Taraba. So we just made it clear that our party is a leading party.
“We are also not just a ruling party, but we are the leading party and the preferred party in Nigeria. And preferred by Nigerians. If you have 75 percent acceptance by the people across the country, our success is not just in the north but also in the south.
“It tells you that in Nigeria, APC is the most accepted party across the country. And that’s the same thing we’ve made in Nigeria. So, expect that 2027 is going to be the same thing.”
The APC chairman said that while other parties were busy engaging themselves on television debates, the governing party chosen to go and meet the people at the grassroots to campaign and get their support.
“So forget the rhetorics on television. We are not addressing television. We are addressing the people at the grassroots. Our policies are progressive in nature. So we don’t address the bourgeois. We don’t address the rich.
“We address the poorest of the poor. And that’s what our policies are. And our target is to ensure that Nigerians, not people on TV, but Nigerians who believe in us, who have confidence in the party, who like progressive policies of the government, who like the bold step taken by the government to ensure that we make changes and bring policies that are creating the real changes that has never been seen before in this country.
“That belief is what people are having. People are voting for the party, and believe me, 2027 is a near-sure victory for us as a party.”
The Chairman then thanked the journalists for their solidarity, describing the visit as a reflection of the bond between the media and the ruling party.
In his short address, Chairman of the APC Press Corps, Jide Orintunsin expressed sympathy with the entire Yilwatda family, describing their late matriarch as a devoted Christian and a pillar of faith who raised a worthy child now entrusted with the leadership of Nigeria’s ruling party.
He noted that though the death of a mother leaves an irreplaceable void, the family should take solace in her exemplary life.
He then offered prayers for comfort, strength, and divine guidance for the APC chairman, urging him to continue to uphold the values instilled in him by his late mother.
“We share in your grief, but also in your joy, because Mama died in the Lord. We pray for God’s wisdom and comfort for you as you lead the party.”
