The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has dismissed the chances of opposition figures matching President Bola Tinubu’s record in office ahead of the 2027 general election.
Yilwatda listed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde among the opposition figures he believes cannot match the achievements of the Tinubu administration.
He made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja while receiving members of the Forum of APC House of Representatives Aspirants, led by Hon. Danjuma Mohammed, at the party’s national secretariat.
Atiku is associated with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Obi with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Duke with the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and Makinde with the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), according to the report.
The APC chairman argued that Tinubu’s performance in infrastructure development and other sectors gave the ruling party a strong basis for defending the president’s record against criticism from political opponents.
“Let the opposition present their records alongside those of this administration, including their achievements in building strong institutions, and Nigerians will see the difference,” Yilwatda said.
Yilwatda Questions Atiku’s Infrastructure Record
The APC chairman questioned the infrastructure record of the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, during which Atiku served as vice-president.
He specifically challenged the road projects associated with a reported N300 billion road budget released during that period, alleging that Nigerians could not identify a 500-kilometre road delivered with the funding.
“We were here live. When the president gave road projects of over N300 billion, when another person was the Minister of Works, we couldn’t find even the road that was patched with that budget,” he said.
Yilwatda contrasted the period with what he described as infrastructure achievements under Tinubu, citing the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway as examples of projects completed or still under construction.
He also mentioned the Trans-Sahara Superhighway, claiming that construction had reached between 30 and 40 per cent on a project extending more than 1,400 kilometres.
Also Read: ‘No agency should be dismantled’ — Makinde sends message to successor
The APC chairman said the projects reflected the administration’s focus on infrastructure expansion and economic development.
APC Chairman Defends Student Loan Scheme
Beyond infrastructure, Yilwatda defended the Tinubu administration’s student loan scheme, criticising opposition figures who had questioned the value of the financial assistance provided to students.
He maintained that the government’s policies and projects should be assessed alongside the records of those seeking to replace the president.
The APC national chairman also highlighted the party’s nationwide structure, claiming that it had more than 261,000 executives across the country.
He urged members of the Forum of APC House of Representatives Aspirants to work closely with the party’s existing structures as preparations for the 2027 general election gather momentum.