APC Chairman Comments on Opposition Infighting
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, remarked on Monday that he takes pleasure in observing the opposition parties trade insults, describing the discord as self‑inflicted.
He noted that the ruling APC is not presently engaged in a battle with either the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC); instead, the conflict is unfolding between those two opposition groups.
Quoting him, “In the last three weeks, the APC has not been fighting ADC or NDC. It is NDC versus ADC or ADC versus NDC.”
He added, “Actually, I watched with fun all the insults that the ADC is raining on the NDC and the NDC is returning those fireworks on the ADC.”
“I watched the videos, and I laughed. The self‑implosion is in the opposition rather than in the APC.”
When questioned about whether he was engineering the crisis, Yilwatda denied the claim but acknowledged that weakening the opposition is a legitimate part of politics.
He said, “No, I can’t. But I will be happy if I can do it. That’s my job. If you are opposing me, should I be happy? If you oppose me because you are in the opposition, what’s my job? Of course, to stop the opposition.”
The APC chairman also highlighted that his party possesses stronger internal conflict‑resolution mechanisms than its rivals.
According to him, the APC maintains committees at both national and state levels to settle disputes that arise from congresses and other party activities.
Speaking on the APC membership register and the votes secured by President Bola Tinubu during the party’s presidential primary, Yilwatda explained that the party draws its primary data from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
“To register as a member of the APC, your name and primary data are sourced from NIMC. That’s the same primary data that is used across the country to open a bank account, get a driver’s licence and secure an international passport.”
“So we’re the only political party that sources our primary data from NIMC. This is why people have seen the APC as one of the most politically viable and stable parties. We are a data‑driven political party,” he stated.
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