2027: ADC can’t match APC, Wike not a problem, says Yilwatda

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, said the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) is no match for the ruling party.

Yilwatda also said the political tension between Nyesom Wike and Siminalayi Fubara is outside the party’s jurisdiction.

The ruling party chairman spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, downplaying the electoral value of some opposition coalition leaders like the ADC National Chairman and ex-Senate President, David Mark.

He expressed confidence that the ruling party is a party to beat, citing some factors that have been attracting opposition governors into the APC fold.

“We have never asked anybody, we have never appealed to any civil servant. Nobody has forced any civil servant in a letter, verbally, you can bring a video to that effect, and I will apologise. Maybe the opposition is forcing civil servants so they will have numbers,” he stated.

“ADC is not a match at all (for the APC). For every one person they have, we have five, six of them. If they have David Mark as former Senate President, we have Ahmad Lawan, we have two former Senate Presidents from the South East,” he stated.

He dismissed claims that the APC is jittery of the opposition, stressing that contrary to insinuations, the ruling party is not forcefully recruiting civil servants into its fold.

The APC Chairman explained that the party is not worried by the caliber of opposition leaders in the ADC, including the likes of ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, ex-Anambra governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Osun governor, Rauf Aregbesola.

He added that the dispute does not concern the APC leadership because Wike is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while Fubara belongs to the APC.

“When it comes to the issue between Wike and Fubara, it’s not within my purview as the national chairman of APC. Wike is in PDP, Fubara is in APC,” he said.

“When it comes to the issue between Wike and Fubara, it’s not within my purview as the national chairman of APC. Wike is in PDP, Fubara is in APC,” he said.

The APC chairman said the impeachment controversy in Rivers state relates strictly to members of the party in the House of Assembly.

“The issue of impeachment is not about Wike now; it concerns the APC house of assembly members. That is something I can discuss. It’s an internal matter, and we have mechanisms within APC to resolve such issues,” he added.

Yilwatda further said internal disagreements should be handled discreetly and with maturity.