Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has stated that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is not a serious political rival to the APC ahead of the 2027 general election and dismissed claims that civil servants are being coerced into joining the ruling party.
Yilwatda made the comments on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, where he addressed the strength of opposition parties and allegations regarding recruitment into the APC.
The APC is the ruling political party in Nigeria, with President Bola Tinubu as its prominent leader.
The ADC is an opposition party that has recently drawn attention for attracting several former political figures.
Political discourse around the 2027 elections has involved ongoing debates about the relevance of opposition parties, coalition building, and electoral strategies. The ADC has been part of such discussions as it seeks to expand its influence ahead of the polls.
Yilwatda said the ADC does not pose a formidable challenge to the APC, noting that for every supporter ADC has, the APC has more.
He referenced former Senate President David Mark, who is aligned with the ADC, but contrasted him with APC figures including Ahmad Lawan and two unnamed former Senate presidents from the South‑East.
The APC chairman also rejected claims that the ruling party was under pressure or intimidated by the growing opposition coalition. He stated that the APC had not forced civil servants to join its ranks.
“We have never asked anybody, we have never appealed to any civil servant. Nobody has forced any civil servant in a letter, verbal — you can bring one video to that effect and I will apologise,” he said.
Yilwatda suggested that allegations of forced recruitment were politically motivated and remarked that opposition parties focus more on media presence than grassroots mobilisation.
He said the APC’s organisational strength lies in local engagement rather than public commentary alone. Yilwatda said: “ADC is not a match at all for the APC. For every one person they have, we have five, six of them.”
The comments from the APC chairman underscore the party’s public position on its dominance in Nigeria’s current political landscape as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
They reflect ongoing tensions between the ruling party and opposition groups, including debates over party membership growth, coalition strength, and electoral preparedness.
Public discourse on the political influence of parties like the ADC, and their ability to attract figures such as former Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar and former presidential candidate Peter Obi, has remained a significant aspect of Nigeria’s electoral narrative.
