The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has dismissed concerns about the future of the ruling party beyond the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that the APC has the structure, leadership depth and resilience to endure.
Yilwatda made the assertion on Friday while appearing on Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme, amid growing debates over leadership succession within the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, the survival and stability of the APC are not dependent on any single individual, noting that the party existed and functioned effectively before Tinubu became president and has continued to do so under his leadership.
He recalled President Tinubu’s instrumental role in the formation of the APC ahead of the 2015 general elections, as well as his leadership of the reconciliation committee established by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 to address internal disputes within the party.
Yilwatda said Tinubu’s intervention at the time helped to unify warring factions and significantly contributed to the party’s victory in the 2019 general elections, despite Tinubu not occupying any executive office then.
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He added that Tinubu would remain an influential figure within the APC even after leaving office, describing him as a national leader whose political experience, network and strategic insight would continue to be valuable to the party.
The APC chairman also dismissed claims that the party is losing ground in the North ahead of the 2027 polls, citing the outcome of the August 2025 by-elections as evidence of sustained support.
According to him, the APC recorded victories in several northern states, including Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Adamawa, Kogi and Niger, losing only one House of Assembly seat during the exercise.
Yilwatda said the results reflect the party’s acceptance across different regions, religious groups and ethnic communities, stressing that the APC remains the most dominant political party at the grassroots level nationwide.