Yilwatda Dismisses Claims Nigeria Drifting Towards One-party State

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja                    

National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has dismissed claims that Nigeria is drifting towards a one-party state.

Speaking during a public presentation in Abuja, Yilwatda said the movement of politicians from opposition parties into APC was a natural outcome of political competition and organisational strength.

Yilwatda, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, said, “It is fair because many of those parties are already dying.

“Their members want to survive politically, and they see the APC as the most organised platform. Just like in a market, people choose what works best.”

He said APC’s adoption of electronic registration had fundamentally strengthened party organisation and mobilisation.

The chairman attributed the party’s expanding membership and electoral competitiveness to its robust internal structures, technology-driven membership system, and transparent approach to party administration.

He explained that the digital register gave the party accurate and verifiable data on its members, including their locations and contact details, enabling effective communication, mobilisation, and planning during elections.

Yilwatda stated that the system also enhanced the credibility of party primaries by ensuring that only duly registered members participated.

The chairman added, “Our electronic registration gives us real-time access to our members. We know who they are, where they live, and how to reach them. This allows us to mobilise efficiently and conduct better, more credible primaries.”

Yilwatda said APC had linked its membership register to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), a move he said had helped to clean and validate the party’s database, eliminate duplication, and improve internal accountability.