RismadarVoice Reporters
October 15, 2026
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared that President Bola Tinubu has a stronger record of governance than opposition presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Yilwatda specifically named former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, arguing that none could match Tinubu’s achievements.
He made the remarks on Thursday while receiving members of the Forum of APC House of Representatives Aspirants, led by Hon. Danjuma Mohammed, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
The APC chairman maintained that the ruling party was prepared to compare Tinubu’s record with those of other presidential contenders, particularly in infrastructure development, institution-building and social investment programmes.
He challenged opposition candidates to present their records for public scrutiny, insisting that the administration had undertaken significant projects across the country.
Yilwatda also criticised the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, under which Atiku served as vice president, alleging that substantial public funds allocated to road construction had not produced corresponding infrastructure.
He claimed that more than ₦300 billion had been committed to road projects during that administration without sufficient visible results.
The allegation was presented as Yilwatda’s assessment, and no independent audit or documentary evidence establishing the claim was provided during the remarks reported.
In contrast, he cited ongoing federal infrastructure projects, including the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano road corridor, the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and the Trans-Saharan Highway, as examples of the Tinubu administration’s development priorities.
He also highlighted the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano gas pipeline project, saying its completion would support electricity generation, industrial production, fertiliser manufacturing and the expansion of compressed natural gas infrastructure.
The APC chairman further defended the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), particularly the monthly upkeep support available to eligible students.
He criticised opposition figures whom he accused of questioning the value of the ₦20,000 monthly allowance, arguing that the assistance could make a meaningful difference to students from low-income households.
Yilwatda also alleged that some critics of the programme operated private universities charging substantial tuition fees while questioning government support for students.
He suggested that the student loan initiative should be assessed in terms of its contribution to educational access and the financial circumstances of beneficiaries.
Earlier, the leader of the visiting forum, Danjuma Mohammed, explained that the organisation was established in 2022 by former Peoples Democratic Party House of Representatives aspirants who had not secured their party’s nominations.
Mohammed said several members subsequently joined the APC and were now seeking to contribute to the party’s political activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
He explained that the forum had members drawn from constituencies across Nigeria and was not intended to operate as a rival structure within the ruling party.
The group requested the party leadership’s support for campaign communication materials in major Nigerian languages and proposed political conferences across the six geopolitical zones.
Responding, Yilwatda assured the aspirants that the APC would explore ways of integrating their activities into its existing organisational structure.
He encouraged them to remain committed to party activities despite previous electoral setbacks, referring to his own unsuccessful governorship contest in Plateau State.
The APC chairman also said the party had more than 261,000 executive officials across its structures, describing the network as an important organisational resource ahead of the elections.
His comments reflect the ruling party’s confidence in Tinubu’s re-election prospects, although the outcome of the 2027 presidential election will ultimately be determined by voters.
