“APC is Struggling to Have 10 Million Members Now” – Party Chieftain Warns Yilwatda

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, has raised alarm over the declining strength of the ruling party as preparations begin for its nationwide congresses.

Nabena warned that the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda must not surrender party structures to state governors ahead of the ward, local government and state congresses.

He said such a move could deepen internal divisions and weaken the party further before the 2027 general elections.

The APC is expected to conduct congresses that will shape its leadership at grassroots and state levels. These exercises are seen as crucial to rebuilding party unity and mobilising supporters nationwide.

However, Nabena cautioned that allowing governors to dominate the process would sideline loyal party members and create resentment across states.

In a statement released in Abuja, he said handing over party structures would “breed resentment, deprive real party men and women, and eventually chase away the few remaining masses in the APC.”

He warned that “the 2027 general elections are about the masses against the few people in the corridors of power, hence the masses must be carried along.”

Nabena disclosed that information reaching him from the party’s national secretariat suggested that the current leadership was planning to hand over control of the congress process to governors in their respective states.

He linked this development to the way the present NWC emerged, saying many of its members were appointed rather than elected.

He said, “We will not be surprised if this prediction comes true because the National Chairman himself and more than half of the entire NWC didn’t go through the election. They were appointed. So, what do you expect?”

The former deputy national publicity secretary urged the party leadership to make nomination forms accessible to all aspirants and not restrict them to a few powerful individuals.

According to him, transparency at every level is the only way to prevent disputes, court cases and breakdown of order within the party.

He said many members of the current NWC lacked experience in winning elections and therefore needed proper guidance to manage the congress process fairly.

Nabena warned that allowing governors to decide candidates by selection rather than open competition could trigger a major internal crisis.

“This will not end well. In fact, it will be the beginning of an internal crisis which may lead to implosion,” he said.

He called on party elders and leaders to intervene and caution the NWC against taking steps that could damage the party’s future.

He also appealed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step in and prevent what he described as a looming breakdown within the APC.

“So, my appeal to the NWC is that they should not chase away the remaining masses we have in the party. APC used to have about 40 million registered members but now we are struggling to get 10 million registered members in the ongoing electronic registration.

“This calls for caution and we must be wise to do the right thing now,” he said.