N’Assembly’s By-election as Litmus Test for APC Chairman

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. NentaweYilwatda’s first litmus test begins with National Assembly by-elections in some states scheduled for August 16, which would be followed by the Anambra State governorship election on November 8. His performances in this election can either make or mar the chances of the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections. AdedayoAkinwale reports.

The recent election of Prof. NentaweYilwatda as the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), received commendations from governors, chieftains and stakeholders of the party. It is safe to say the former Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is still enjoying his honeymoon before the baptism of fire begins.

Yilwatda took over from the former Governor of Kano state, Dr. AbdullahiGanduje, who resigned on health grounds. Though the same health ground did not stop him from recently assuming his new position as Board Chairman of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

His appointment, however, laid to rest the agitation from the North Central stakeholders of the party who felt the position was unduly taken away from the region when Ganduje replaced Senator AbdullahiAdamu who hails from the North Central — the region where the position was initially zoned to.

For instance, the former Governor of Plateau State, Senator Simon Lalong, when he recently led other party chieftains from the State on a solidarity visit to Yilwatda at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, said his emergence would be an added advantage to President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections, being a former REC of INEC.

Expectedly, Lalong dismissed the threat posed by the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), adding that the tricks in their baggage are not unusual for the APC-led administration.

According to him: “Yes, it used to be that before you become National Chairman, you must be governor or former governor. Gone are the days. We have seen people who are not former governors becoming national chairmen of the party. We have also seen some national chairmen of the party, former governors, coming here for one reason or another. They didn’t spend time.

“When you talk about party, you are talking about election. What is it about election that an electoral officer does not know? If he knows, it is an added advantage to this party. “I see a new trend. Our new trend is the gap between the old and the new. So, if the whole exercise is about movement of younger ones, movement of women and children, then it means that you must get somebody that can speak their language. I hope you understand. “You now have to get somebody that understands their language. If you understand their language, they also understand his language. That is what we have done.”

Expressing similar sentiment, Governor of Nasarawa State, AbdullahiSule noted that the Chairman was coming at a time when somebody like him is needed.

According to him, “We, the people of North Central, have been agitating for the return of the chairmanship to our zone. We have no complaints now, he is from our zone. He recently visited Jos, where he was well received by all traditional institutions, religious institutions, youth, women, all the elders, so that’s exactly what it is, so he is beginning to reform the party throughout the country”.

On his part,  Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) and Governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma, said the ruling party was happy with his choice.

“Look at him here — handsome, tall, full of energy and intelligence. Our party is very excited and happy with the choice. We are confident that this is what we’ve been looking for,” he noted.

However, the initial accolades received so far by Yilwatda were expected. Be that as it may, his first litmus test may be coming too soon with the August 16 by-elections already around the corner. His performance in these elections will be a pointer to what to expect in the Anambra State governorship election scheduled to hold on November 8, 2025. The ruling party will be slugging it out with 15 other parties for the  governorship seat.

Aside from that, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections are scheduled for February 21, 2026. His performance in these elections may make or mar the chances of the ruling party in the 2027 elections and would also go a long way to determine whether he would be given the chance to lead the ruling party in the general election.

Meanwhile, Yilwatda is also expected to ensure the success of the nationwide electronic membership registration of the ruling party scheduled to commence very soon.

Recall that the party embarked on the same exercise when the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee led by the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni was in charge of the party.

At the end of the exercise, the party claimed that it has a membership strength of 40 million members.

But the National Secretary of the party, Senator AjibolaBashiru said if the party actually has a 40 million membership strength, how come the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 elections struggled to garner 10 million votes.

“If we have that membership of 45 million, how come we went to the polls and got votes of less than 10 million? In line with Amilcar Cabral’s doctrine of ‘tell no lies, claim no easy victories’, that has exhumed the lie,” he had said.

So, the exercise is intended to know the actual membership strength of the party.

Nevertheless, the recent defection of sitting governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other party chieftains to APC was already creating ripples in some states. In this regard, Delta state easily comes to mind, Yilwatda would be expected to ensure that loyal members of the party are not shoved aside by the defectors.

As the party prepares for the 2027 general election, the leadership of the party needs to ensure that all party organs function as stipulated in the party’s constitution. This would ensure the party is devoid of unnecessary drama that might affect the chances of the party in the election.

In addition, if Yilwatda is to ensure he leads a united party to a major election, imposition of candidates must be prevented or totally avoided. As a former Resident Electoral Commissioner, he must ensure that the candidates of the party emerge from a fair and transparent primary election. This way, whoever loses would willingly support the person that emerges.

As Yilwatda walks unaided into his own baptism of fire, the political intrigues that lie ahead will test his faith and the political machinations of the governors will shake the foundation of his principle, especially with necessary and unpalatable compromises.