APC is Nigeria’s only tested vehicle for progress — Yilwatda

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared that the APC remains the only truly national, deeply structured, ideologically resilient, and electorally durable political platform capable of delivering on the present aspirations and future expectations of Nigerians.

Yilwatda made this known in Abuja while speaking on key issues affecting the social, political and economic management of the country.

He insisted that in a period of national transition and democratic consolidation, Nigeria cannot afford to gamble its future on confusion, instability, or politically disoriented alternatives.

According to a statement signed by Abimbola Tooki, his Special Adviser on Media and Communications strategy, the National Chairman said the APC has over time demonstrated the institutional maturity, national spread, political discipline, and administrative capacity required to manage the complex demands of a nation as large, diverse, and strategically important as Nigeria.

He said the party is not merely preparing for the next election cycle, but is actively working to deepen governance, strengthen democratic culture, improve public trust, and build a stronger foundation for national development.

Yilwatda said: “The All Progressives Congress is not an ad hoc coalition held together by convenience. 

“It is a tested and enduring political machine, built on structure, spread, experience and the capacity to respond to the real needs of Nigerians. 

“We are the only party with the institutional strength and national reach to carry the weight of both the present and the future of this country.”

Professor Yilwatda maintained that while governance naturally comes with pressures, contestations and difficult decisions, the APC remains committed to supporting policies and reforms that will place Nigeria on the path of long-term stability, productivity and prosperity.

He noted that the task before the current administration is not a cosmetic one, but a serious nation-building responsibility that requires courage, patience, sacrifice and political steadiness. 

He added that the APC, as the governing party, fully understands the weight of this historic obligation and will continue to provide the political backbone required to sustain reforms and deliver democratic dividends to Nigerians.

Commenting on the internal crises currently ravaging some opposition parties, Professor Yilwatda said the situation is a clear and disturbing reflection of their lack of preparedness for national leadership.

He noted that any political platform that cannot manage its own internal affairs, reconcile competing tendencies, enforce discipline, or build consensus within its ranks, cannot be trusted with the delicate task of governing a complex federation like Nigeria.

According to him, the persistent implosions, factional wars, legal battles, ego clashes and ideological emptiness that define many opposition parties today are not just political setbacks, but warning signs of deeper structural weakness and managerial incompetence.

He stressed that it would be dangerous and politically irresponsible for Nigerians to hand over the future of the country to political actors who have repeatedly shown that they cannot maintain order within their own house.

“A party that cannot govern itself cannot govern Nigeria. If a political platform is constantly trapped in a self-inflicted crisis, consumed by internal sabotage, and weakened by poor management, it simply has no business asking Nigerians for the mandate to lead this country,” he said.

The APC National Chairman said Nigerians must be discerning enough to separate noise from capacity, propaganda from preparation, and opportunism from genuine leadership.

He added that while the APC continues to evolve, reform and strengthen its internal processes, many opposition parties remain trapped in a cycle of instability that makes them unfit for serious democratic competition.

Professor Yilwatda further stated that a repositioned and confident APC is not afraid of political competition and does not seek victory through the technical disqualification of opponents.

He said the APC believes in democratic contest, popular legitimacy, and the power of persuasion, adding that the party derives greater strength and credibility when it wins elections through the trust and support of the Nigerian people.

According to him, while political parties must comply with the law and electoral regulations, the APC’s preference is always to defeat its opponents at the ballot box and not in backroom arrangements, procedural traps or legal technicalities.

He emphasised that true democratic legitimacy comes from earned victory, not engineered outcomes, and that history is kinder to leaders and parties whose mandates are clearly validated by the people.

Yilwatda said: “Victory is sweeter when it is earned. 

“It is more legitimate when it is freely given by the people. 

“As a party, we believe that the strongest mandate is one secured through persuasion, performance, organisation and political engagement.”