Crisis Brews In APC As 5 Governors Plot Removal Of Yilwatda As National Chairman

A fresh crisis may be brewing in the All Progressives Congress (APC) as some aggrieved governors are reportedly pushing to remove Professor Nentawe Yilwatda as the party’s National Chairman ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to reports, five APC Governors, aggrieved by the conduct and outcome of the party’s primaries for the 2027 elections, are behind the plot to remove Yilwatda from office.

According to Leadership, the Governors include two from the Southwest, two from the Northcentral and one from the Southsouth.

However, the reports indicate that one of the Southwest Governors is leading the plot to remove Yilwatda from office and replace him before the 2027 elections.

Naija News understands, according to top party sources quoted in the report, that the Governors are upset with the national chairman over his refusal to do their bidding during the recently concluded National Assembly primaries conducted by the APC across the country.

They are said to be displeased with Yilwatda’s insistence that all results must undergo proper scrutiny by the National Working Committee (NWC) before final ratification and official announcement at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

I Am Not Guilty

But Yilwatda, reacting through his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, said all decisions on the procedure for the primaries were undertaken with the collective agreement of all stakeholders in the party.

He insisted that the agreed procedure was followed in conducting the primaries and declaring the final results.

Speaking on the development, the chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, through his Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachuku, said he was not in a position to speak for the PGF.

However, party insiders maintained that the APC 2026 Primary Election Guidelines clearly directed election committees to collate results at the constituency and senatorial district levels before forwarding them to the party’s national headquarters for verification and ratification by the NWC.

However, many governors reportedly disregarded this provision and allegedly insisted that results be collated and winners announced directly in their respective state capitals.

Position Of APC Leadership

A source at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the party leadership was aware of the alleged plot against the chairman.

The source alleged that some Governors had attempted to buy off the forms for their preferred candidates ahead of the party primaries.

He, however, said that Yilwatda refused to let them have their way or impose candidates.

He said: “The first intention of these governors was to pressure members of the NWC into selling the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms only to aspirants whose names they forwarded to the national headquarters. They were ready to contribute one billion naira each.

“However, it was the national chairman who thwarted the plan and insisted that every aspirant must be given equal access to obtain the party forms. That was regarded as his first offence against the governors.

“The second issue was his refusal to allow governors to single-handedly nominate all members of the election committees and appeal panels deployed to their states. If governors were allowed to handpick all committee members, it would have become easier to impose their preferred candidates and influence the reports to back their actions.”

The Tinubu Effect

The source added that Yilwatda’s refusal to play their game was seen as a major red flag by some of the Governors, thus prompting a push to replace him ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He, however, added that the aggrieved Governors have yet to convince President Bola Tinubu of their position, thereby slowing their moves.

“These governors are meeting regularly over this plot, and we are also aware of the role being played by a South-West governor. They are already spreading propaganda against the national chairman, claiming that he is ‘inexperienced and nepotistic’ and that it would be risky for the party to allow him to manage its affairs ahead of the 2027 polls.

“However, their major obstacle is how to convince President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to support their mission. I doubt if they can convince him because he is a man who allowed governors to decide their candidates for the state assemblies without interference from the National Secretariat,” he said.

Go To Appeal

Speaking further, the Special Adviser to the APC Chairman on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, said the party has established procedures to address grievances.

He also dismissed reports of a gang up against Yilwatda.

“There is nothing like anger anywhere. All decisions taken on the primary elections were undertaken with the collective agreement of all stakeholders in the party.

“There is nothing like not allowing governors to determine the outcome of primaries.

“The results can be collated and announced at the local government and state levels, but no candidate should be formally declared winner at that stage. This is because some aspirants may wish to exercise their constitutional right to appeal by submitting petitions to the appeal committee.

“It is only after such appeals have been received, thoroughly scrutinised and considered on their merit by the National Working Committee of the party that a final declaration of winner can be made by the NWC. That is the proper sequence leading to the official declaration of a winner,” he said.

Naija News recalls that Yilwatda emerged as the APC National Chairman after his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje, stepped down on health grounds in June 2025.

He is believed to enjoy the support of President Tinubu for the position.