APC Will Endure Beyond Tinubu’s Presidency — National Chairman Yilwatda

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) will continue to thrive even after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu leaves office, the party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, has affirmed.

Speaking on Channels Television on Friday, Yilwatda addressed concerns about the party’s longevity, insisting that the APC’s survival does not hinge on any single individual.

“The APC existed before Tinubu, has thrived under him, and will endure after him,” Yilwatda said. “Even before he became president, his influence was significant in shaping the party.”

He highlighted Tinubu’s pivotal role in building the APC ahead of the 2015 general elections, noting that the former Lagos State governor was instrumental in unifying party factions and creating a winning political structure.

Yilwatda recalled that in 2019, then-President Muhammadu Buhari set up a reconciliation committee to address internal disputes within the APC, with Tinubu appointed as its head.

“When submitting the report, Tinubu said, ‘I have reconciled the numbers needed to win the 2019 election. With this, I am confident we can succeed.’ And indeed, the APC won,” he said, emphasising that Tinubu’s leadership was crucial even before he held the presidency.

Looking ahead, Yilwatda stressed that Tinubu’s influence would continue to benefit the APC as a former president, providing guidance through his political experience, nationwide network, and strategic approach.

“Now, as a former president, he will offer leadership to the party. Anyone entering the political arena will rely heavily on his experience, network, and the methodical political strategies he has employed for years,” he explained.

The national chairman also dismissed predictions that Tinubu would struggle to secure northern votes in the 2027 elections, pointing to the APC’s strong performance in the August 2025 by-elections as proof of growing support.

“Before the by-election, critics claimed the APC could not win in the North, and the opposition promoted the slogan ‘anything but APC,’” Yilwatda said.

He added that the election results, which saw victories in Kebbi, Kano, Kaduna, Adamawa, Kogi, and Niger, with only a single House of Assembly seat lost, proved those predictions wrong.

“The APC’s success cuts across religious and ethnic lines, demonstrating that our support base is broad and deeply rooted nationwide,” he concluded.