The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has played down concerns about the ruling party’s future after President Bola Tinubu’s tenure, insisting that the party is strong enough to survive beyond any single leader.
Yilwatda said the APC is anchored on solid structures, institutional experience and a wide leadership base that guarantees its continuity long after the current administration.
He made the remarks on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Hard Copy programme, amid ongoing debates within political circles over leadership succession and the long-term stability of the party.
According to the APC chairman, the party’s existence has never been dependent on one individual, noting that it functioned effectively before Tinubu became president and has continued to do so under his leadership.
“The APC will certainly survive after Tinubu. The party survived before him and has survived with him. Even when he was not president, his influence was evident,” Yilwatda said.
He recalled that President Tinubu played a significant role in the formation of the APC ahead of the 2015 general elections, despite not holding any executive office at the time.
Yilwatda also referenced Tinubu’s involvement in stabilising the party ahead of the 2019 elections, explaining that former President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2018, set up a reconciliation committee to address internal disputes within the APC.
He said Tinubu was appointed chairman of the committee and successfully helped to unify the party ahead of the polls.
“While submitting his report, Tinubu said he had reconciled the required numbers to secure victory in the 2019 election and expressed confidence that the party would win,” Yilwatda stated.
He added that the APC eventually won the election, describing the outcome as a confirmation of Tinubu’s unifying role.
The APC chairman stressed that Tinubu’s ability to bridge divisions and mobilise support, even before becoming president, reflects the party’s institutional strength and its capacity to remain relevant beyond the tenure of any single leader.
