National Convention: APC system prevails over individuals, all members subject to party rules-Yilwatda

Nentawe Yilwatda, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the party operates a system where institutional processes take precedence over individuals.

Yilwatda spoke in Abuja on Tuesday after appearing before the APC national convention aspirants’ screening committee ahead of the party’s national convention.

The screening exercise was conducted by a panel chaired by Biodun Oyebanji, governor of Ekiti state.

Addressing journalists after the exercise, Yilwatda said the ruling party has strengthened internal processes that subject all members to the same rules regardless of status.

“In the APC, it has been different. Everybody is subject to the system and how it operates. The processes have become more transparent and organised, and the system now prevails over individuals,” he said.

Yilwatda commended the convention committees for coordinating preparations without internal disputes.

He said the APC had avoided the public disagreements that often characterise convention activities in other political parties.

“Unlike other political parties, where every day you see the members of the convention committee making contrarian statements, arguing among themselves, and sometimes fighting over issues, I’ve not seen anything like that in the convention committee—all the committees,” he said.

Yilwatda thanked party leaders, including governors, lawmakers, and members of the executive arm, for their support over the past eight months.

He said the support had contributed to the party’s stability and organisational growth.

The APC chairman said data from the party’s membership registration shows that the majority of its members are young people.

“It is now that we know that our party is more youth-driven than any other party. Fifty percent of the members of the APC are between the ages of 18 and 35,” he said.

Yilwatda said only about 18 percent of the party’s members are aged 50 and above.

“It shows clearly that we have the youths on our side. We are the most youthful party in the country,” he said.

“People within the age of 50 and above make up just 18% of the membership of the party, which means the party has a future.”

Yilwatda said the party’s digital membership registration system has strengthened its data-driven approach to organisation and strategy.

The APC chairman acknowledged that women remain under-represented in the national assembly, noting the party is working to improve female participation through its 35 percent affirmative action policy.

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“Though we don’t have enough women in the national assembly right now, we are working to ensure inclusion in our party,” he said.

“You can see that in the composition of this convention committee, which is ensuring the 35% affirmative action for women.”

Yilwatda said the APC remains the only political party with an organisational presence across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

“If you look at all the by-elections conducted, we’ve won elections in Kano, Zaria, Adamawa, the south-west, the south-south, and the south-east. No political party has done this in the last year,” he said

Yilwatda said the party has resolved most internal disputes through arbitration instead of litigation.

“The fact that our members can subject themselves to arbitration rather than going to court is a big plus,” he said.

“From the local government congresses to state congresses and even at the zonal level, we’ve not had a single court case.

“It shows that APC is a party of the system, and even the members believe in the system and the processes we follow.”

Ardo  Zubairu 

National Secretary 

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