Yilwatda: Peter Obi’s Defection Is Irrelevant To APC
The ruling All Progressives Congress has dismissed Peter Obi’s defection from the African Democratic Congress to the New Democratic Congress as inconsequential, insisting the internal realignment within opposition ranks poses no threat to its political standing ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Prof. Nantewe Yilwatda, the APC National Chairman, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja, speaking during the ongoing sale and submission of the party’s nomination and expression of interest forms for the 2027 polls, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria.
Obi, who was the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has since moved political affiliations, a development that has stirred commentary across the country’s political circles.
Yilwatda was unequivocal in his position. “If someone defects from ADC to NDC or another opposition party, that does not affect APC. Let them sort out their problems. APC remains solid and we are moving forward with strong numbers,” he said.
He also addressed the reported resignation of approximately 18 National Assembly members from ADC to NDC, describing it as insignificant. “You talked about NDC. When people join APC, they claim we paid them, but when they defect among themselves, nobody says anything. None of those defecting is from our party. They are fishing from the same pond,” Yilwatda stated.
The chairman’s remarks reflect a broader APC posture of confidence as the country begins its early preparations for what is shaping up to be a highly competitive electoral cycle. The sale of nomination forms, which attracted a large crowd at the party’s national secretariat, was cited by Yilwatda as evidence of growing public trust in the ruling party.
“Nigerians are happy with what APC is doing. They love and accept the party across all geopolitical zones. We are encouraged by the large number of people coming out to purchase our forms,” he said.
Yilwatda ruled out any extension of the deadline for form submission, pointing to restrictions imposed by Nigeria’s Electoral Act. “We would have loved to extend the time, but we are time-bound. The Electoral Act limits the timeframe for conducting primaries and submitting results. We also want to avoid unnecessary complications,” he explained.
To manage the crowd at the forthcoming aspirants’ screening exercise, the chairman said access control measures would be introduced while still acknowledging the turnout as a demonstration of the party’s national appeal. “This can only happen in APC, and we are pleased to witness it under our administration,” he added.
As opposition parties navigate internal fractures, the APC appears focused on projecting unity and organisational readiness ahead of 2027.