APC primaries will be credible with e-register, says Yilwatda
The ruling party is anticipating credible shadow elections to pick its candidates for next year’s elections as a results of its electronic register of members. All Progressives Congress (APC) National
The ruling party is anticipating credible shadow elections to pick its candidates for next year’s elections as a results of its electronic register of members.
All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman prof. Nenyawe Yilwatda said yesterday that the party is well organized and ready with the task ahead.
He said: “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 credible primaries”.
He spoke through a statement by his media adviser, Abimbola Toki.
Yilwatda also said the ruling paryt is being driven by it members, which he gave as a reason the party is not having a board of Trustees (BoT).
Yilwatda said: “APC belongs to its members. That is why we do not have a Board of Trustees. Our members fund the party through dues and legitimate contributions, and that gives them true ownership and control of party affairs.”
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Shedding light on the recently concluded e-registration, Yilwatda said the party has linked its membership register with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to clean and validate its database, eliminate duplication, and strengthen internal accountability.
After its e-registration of members, the APC gave its membership strength to be close to 10 million.
Commenting on the festering debate on direct and indirect primaries, the APC chairman called for caution, arguing that while direct primary promotes participation and a sense of belonging among members, it also come with risks if not properly managed.
“Direct primaries can be manipulated, and delegates can be colonised, which defeats the essence of democracy. The real issue is not the method, but the integrity of the process,” he said.
The party chair maintained that the APC remains flexible in its approach, having successfully conducted consensus, direct and indirect primaries, depending on what best promotes party unity and stability.
Noting that the ruling party has achieved consensus candidacy in several states without post-primary litigation, he said such feats remained rare in Nigeria’s political space.
On fears being expressed over rising defections into the APC, Yilwatda faulted the argument that the country was drifting toward a one-party state, describing the trend as a natural consequence of political competition.
“People move to where systems work. Many parties are weakening, while APC continues to grow because it is better organised,” he said.
He added that the party’s growing influence, including its control of about 30 governorship seats and a strong majority in the National Assembly, reflects voter confidence and not coercion.
Yilwatda said the APC’s organisational strength has attracted politicians from across the political spectrum, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP).
He reaffirmed the party’s commitment to internal democracy, transparency and continuous reform of party administration, describing the party as a model for effective political organisation in Nigeria.
