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The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has declared that the ruling party is redefining political organisation in Nigeria by subordinating personalities to process, while banking on a fast-rising youth base to secure its future, in a sweeping defence of internal order and a bold projection of electoral strength.
Addressing the committee and members of the press in Abuja on Tuesday shortly after he was screened by the APC National Convention Aspirants’ Screening Committee chaired by the Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, Yilwatda framed the APC as a party where systems, not individuals, dictate outcomes—an argument he contrasted sharply with what he described as disorder in rival political camps.
“In the APC, it has been different. For bringing subjecting everybody in the party, regardless of your position, to due process. You’ve made the systems more transparent, you’ve made it more organized,” he said.
Driving home the point, the chairman insisted that institutional discipline now underpins party operations at all levels.
“I can assure the whole world that in APC, everybody is a subject of the system and how it operates. And I must thank you for creating this belief and also ensuring that the system prevails over individuals,” he added.
He credited party organs and convention committees for sustaining cohesion, noting the absence of internal disputes that often plague political gatherings elsewhere.
“So, I thank you so very much for making the system work. Secondly, I must also thank you for how far you have come, how far you’ve gone with the operation—not just your committee, but all the committees of the convention. You’ve gone with them. And I’m so proud that we’re leading the party that is providing the best leadership for democracy in this country,” he said.
In a veiled swipe at opposition parties, Yilwatda pointed to what he described as unity within APC ranks during critical exercises.
“Unlike other political parties, where every day you see the members of the convention committee making contrarian statements, arguing among themselves, and sometimes fighting over issues, I’ve not seen anything like that in the convention committee—all the committees. Thank you very much,” he said.
He extended appreciation across the party hierarchy, from governors and lawmakers to the presidency, crediting collective effort for stabilising the party within eight months of his leadership.
He said: “I’d like to thank all of you right here, from the governors, the senators, the administration, as I’ve been telling, to all the governors, to the president, all of us, and the team members of the party for the support they’ve given us, especially myself, in the last eight months that I’ve been inside the leadership of this party.”
Beyond internal mechanics, the APC chairman unveiled what he described as a data-backed transformation, driven by digital membership registration and analytics.
“We’ve seen growth in the party, and it’s not a one-man job. Some of you here have been part of the people who reached out to leaders that were brought back into the APC. We’ve also seen the deepening of technology. The registration of the membership has given us more data-driven positioning of the party.”
That data, he said, has overturned long-held assumptions about youth alignment in Nigerian politics, revealing a demographic advantage for the APC.
“It is now that we know that our party is more youth-driven than any other party. Before now, most people were telling us that they had the youth. We didn’t know that the youths were with the APC. Fifty percent of the members of the APC are between the ages of 18 and 35.”
He continued, “And it shows clearly that we have the youths on our side. We are the most youthful party in the country. People within the age of 50 and above make up just 18% of the membership of the party. And it clearly shows that the party is one of the most youthful parties in the country, which means the party has a future.”
Yilwatda linked this demographic shift to visible trends at rallies and within elected offices, adding, “You can see that in some of the movements that have been going on. If you attend rallies, if you attend meetings of our party, you’ll discover that most of the attendees are young people. And it gives us a clear future for this party.”
He added, “You can see some of the people elected. The youngest people elected on the platform of any political party are from the APC—the people in their 30s in the House of Representatives, the people in their early 40s in the House of Representatives—they are mostly in the APC.”
On inclusion, the chairman acknowledged gaps but pointed to deliberate efforts to improve women’s representation within party structures.
“The same applies to the women factor. Though we don’t have enough women in the National Assembly right now, we are working to ensure inclusion in our party. You can see that in the composition of this Convention Committee, which is ensuring the 35% affirmative action for women.”
He stressed the need for broader participation: “We’ll work as much as we can, where possible, to ensure women are also embedded because we need the women component to build a governance system in the APC that provides for all in the system.”
Projecting national dominance, Yilwatda argued that the APC remains the only party with electoral footprints across all six geopolitical zones, citing recent by-election victories as proof of reach.
“Finally, let me round off this interaction by appreciating the fact that APC is the only political party with a presence across all six geopolitical zones. Is it the governors? Is it the membership? Is it winning elections? If you look at all the by-elections conducted, we’ve won elections in all six zones.”
He listed areas of success: “No political party has done this in the last year. Most political parties dominate only a zone, but APC has presence in all six geopolitical zones—we’ve won in Kano, Zaria, Adamawa, the Southwest, the South-South, and the Southeast. It shows the reach and strength of the party.”
On internal dispute resolution, the chairman underscored a preference for arbitration over litigation, describing it as a sign of institutional maturity.
“So, for us, it is time to consolidate on everything we’re doing. Even in the Congress and Commission we have right now, we have the fewest legal issues. Most issues have been settled by simple arbitration rather than court processes.”
He added, “The fact that our members can subject themselves to arbitration rather than going to court is a big plus. From the local government congresses to state congresses and even at the zonal level, we’ve not had a single court case. It shows that APC is a party of the system, and even the members believe in the system and the processes we follow.”
Looking ahead, Yilwatda signalled continuity and expansion, tying future ambitions to sustained public support.
“Having said that, I want to thank the members of the party, every Nigerian, for their support and belief in the party. I look forward, if elected again, to expanding what we’ve been doing and ensuring the party wins overwhelmingly.”
In a closing note that underscored party discipline, he drew a clear line between loyalty and mere association.
“I can assure you, Your Excellency Senator Oji Kalu, that we don’t believe in ‘friends of the party.’ We believe in the members of the party. Friendship is different from membership, and there are obligations the party has for its members. I respect those obligations as a system and party person.”
