CITIZENS COMPASS— The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, yesterday, said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fit to return for a second term in office.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today Yilwatda said Tinubu has constitutional responsibilities that require his attention as President, making it impractical for him to participate in every campaign engagement.
Yilwatda explained that some government officials had been advised to attend selected rallies rather than all political gatherings to ensure that governance was not affected by campaign activities.
He maintained that Tinubu’s decision to limit his participation in rallies should not be viewed as a weakness or a sign of concern about his ability to campaign for another term.
The APC chairman also defended the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket featuring Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, dismissing concerns that the arrangement had sidelined Christians in government.
Yilwatda said Christians had continued to have their voices heard under the administration, adding that those the party had engaged were comfortable with the arrangement.
“Most Christians that we’ve engaged and we’ve spoken to, they are very okay with the Muslim-Muslim ticket,” he said.
“The thought and the fear of most Christians was that the Muslim-Muslim ticket may suppress their voices, but their voices are heard loud and clear now.”
He further argued that Christians had not suffered molestation because of Tinubu’s religion during the President’s three years in office.
On the leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Yilwatda denied allegations that the APC was responsible for the opposition party’s internal troubles.
His comments followed a Federal High Court judgment invalidating the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC.
The APC chairman questioned why the opposition party was blaming the ruling party over a legal dispute instituted by one of its members.
He also said he was not bothered by the development within the ADC, maintaining that the APC was not afraid of opposition parties ahead of the next general elections.
Speaking about the presidential contest, Yilwatda expressed confidence that Tinubu would defeat former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in a free and fair election.
He attributed Atiku’s performance in the 2023 presidential election largely to the political structure of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), rather than his personal popularity.
“He did not win because of Atiku; he won because of the structure of the PDP. It was the PDP that brought Atiku, not Atiku winning on his own,” he said.
Yilwatda also defended the APC against allegations of electoral violence, insisting that the party supported credible elections.
“If anybody is injured by anybody across the country, I’m sure it shouldn’t be by APC supporters. I pity anybody who is being injured, and I sympathise with them. Our party stands for free and fair elections,” he said.
The APC national chairman also defended Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his promise to reward councils with ₦10 million if they deliver their wards for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Yilwatda maintained that the proposed reward did not amount to vote buying.
