ABUJA — The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has dismissed assertions that the ruling party is responsible for the internal crises and frequent defections within opposition ranks.

Addressing reporters at the APC National Secretariat, Yilwatda specifically cited the political trajectory of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, arguing that Obi’s history of party switching predates the APC’s emergence as a ruling government.

Key Points from Yilwatda’s Statement

• Exoneration of the Ruling Party: Yilwatda asserted that internal disagreements, lack of structure, and individual political ambitions—rather than external interference by the APC—are the primary drivers behind opposition instability.
• Historical Defection Pattern: The APC Chairman recalled that Obi’s political mobility began as far back as 2014 during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, when he exited the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
• Cross-Party Movement: Pointing to Obi’s recent realignments across the Labour Party (LP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Yilwatda questioned how the APC could be blamed for decisions spanning over a decade.

Excerpt from the APC Chairman’s Address

“Nobody in APC chased Peter Obi out of PDP. Nobody from APC chased Obi out of the Labour Party; nobody in APC chased him out of the Labour Party to ADC. Who chased him from ADC again to the NDC? He started moving from his party long before now, during the time of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014. You mean the APC has been chasing him from 2014 till date when we were even in opposition?”

Opposition Realignment Ahead of 2027

  PARTY HISTORIC LINEAGE: APGA (2014) → PDP (2022) → LP (2023) → ADC / NDC Coalition
  APC POSITION:          Internal opposition mismanagement, not external sabotage
  CONTEXT:               Response to claims of ruling party interference in opposition affairs

Yilwatda’s remarks come amidst ongoing negotiations among opposition figures seeking to build a unified political coalition ahead of the next general election cycle. The APC leadership reaffirmed that the ruling party remains focused on delivering its administrative mandate rather than managing the internal dynamics of rival platforms.