Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Professor Nentawe Yilwatda has commended President Bola Tinubu in what he called the most competitive primary season in the country’s history, a development that reflects deep national penetration and broad public acceptance.
Speaking after a Wednesday meeting with President Tinubu in Lagos, the APC Chairman described the party’s recent primaries as “near rancour-free” and “very organised,” pointing to robust participation across states and minimal incidents compared with previous cycles.
“You can see how competitive our party have turned out to be,” he said, adding that thousands of aspirants turned out to contest a “few positions,” underscoring the party’s reach into communities nationwide.
The Chairman told reporters the contest was evidence that “every facet of Nigeria wants to be a member of APC” and that political hopefuls increasingly regard the APC as the first choice for office.
He thanked Nigerians for their “support and acceptance of the party,” and praised grassroots supporters for their discipline during the process.
The Chairman acknowledged, however, that not all contests were unanimous.
Under APC rules, contests are expected to proceed by consensus when possible, but direct primaries are used where consensus fails.
“Our guidelines on consensus are clear. Our guidelines on direct primaries are also clear,” he said, adding that states that opted for direct primaries did so in line with party procedures and that there were no instances in which members seeking direct votes were forced into consensus.
Anticipating fallout, the Chairman said the party was prepared to manage aggrieved members after the primaries through established internal mechanisms, including a Presidential Conflict Resolution Committee and a Party Conflict Resolution Committee.
“We have an internal conflict resolution mechanism that has prevailed over a period,” he said, acknowledging that disappointment is inevitable when candidates lose.
“We ensure that we have the early healing process so that we can work on the campaign process so that we can emerge victorious across the country in 2027.”
The Chairman also briefed President Tinubu on logistical arrangements for the nationwide exercises and said the president expressed approval.
“The President was very impressed with the logistics we deployed across the country,” he said, noting a drop in reported incidents.
He credited President Tinubu for providing “moral backing” and for supporting the National Working Committee’s efforts to enforce party regulations.
The Chairman’s comments offer an early line on the APC’s readiness for the 2027 election cycle, describing the primary season as a stress test that the party’s leadership insists it has largely passed.
Political analysts say the party’s ability to reconcile disgruntled members and translate primary momentum into unified campaigning will be central to its prospects in next year’s national contest.
