- The national chairman of the APC has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is satisfied with the party’s ongoing primaries across the country
- Prof Nentawe Yilwatda explained that the ruling APC’s recent internal processes highlight its competitive nature, with many people vying for a limited number of positions across Nigeria
- The APC leader noted that the exercises were conducted with discipline, resulting in minimal complaints and achieving a near-perfect execution
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Ikoyi, Lagos state – Nentawe Yilwatda, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu directed the ruling party to improve its primary election process.
Legit.ng reports that Yilwatda made the disclosure on Wednesday night, May 20, 2026, after meeting Tinubu in Lagos state, where he also briefed the president on the conduct of the party’s nationwide primaries and ongoing internal consensus-building efforts.
Source: Twitter
Tinubu backs APC primary reforms
Political parties’ primary elections come before the 2027 elections.
The APC helmsman said:
“You know this is the first time that we are deploying in nationwide direct primaries, almost as if this is the first time. And if you look at it, we printed our resource sheets. We do exactly what INEC used to do, the logistic preparation, everything. And the president was very impressed with the logistics we deploy across the country, the tactics we’ve used also. He has also been very impressed with the reduced number of incidents that we have across the country. We’ve not had so much conflicts and crises across communities and at ward level, down to the election processes. And he’s happy with what we’re doing.
“And I want to also thank Mr. President for the backing he has given the national working committee to succeed. The moral backing, he has backed everything we’ve made to ensure that we enforce the party, no regulations to the latter.”
On consensus, Plateau-born Yilwatda explained that whenever consensus arrangements fail, the party resorts to direct primaries, adding that there is no coercion.
His words:
“Our guidelines are very clear, and our guidelines on consensus is clear. On a direct primary, it is also clear. Where consensus doesn’t work, you go for direct primaries. And that’s what people are doing across the states.
Source: Facebook
“There’s no state that people have complained that they wanted direct primaries and they were given compulsory consensus. Because there’s a consensus form that we give. And based on that, you must sign off those consensus form that you step down. You agree on a consensus candidate before the process takes place.”
Yilwatda’s video can be watched below via X:
APC addresses Opah disqualification claims
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Abia state chapter of the APC dismissed as false viral social media reports alleging that governorship aspirant Eric Opah was disqualified from participating in the party’s governorship primary election over alleged membership controversies.
In a statement signed by Uche Aguoru, the party’s spokesperson in Abia state, the APC described the report as entirely baseless, stressing that it did not originate from the party’s leadership at any level.
The party also clarified that no official communication, directive, or decision had been issued by the national leadership of the APC disqualifying Opah or questioning the validity of his membership registration.
Source: Legit.ng