2027: ‘Tinubu Is Fit To Go,’ APC National Chairman Dismisses Claims Challenging President’s Health — Nentawe Yilwatda

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has dismissed concerns about President Bola Tinubu’s health ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the President is fit to contest. The APC chairman stated this on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday. <span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span> He urged Nigerians not to interpret isolated expressions of dissent against the President as evidence of widespread unpopularity.

Addressing concerns about Tinubu’s limited attendance at some presidential campaign rallies, Yilwatda said the President could not be expected to participate in every campaign activity while discharging his constitutional responsibilities. He said some public officials had been advised to attend selected rallies rather than all the engagements to prevent governance from suffering.

Following Tinubu’s earlier announcement that he would not attend every campaign rally because of the responsibilities of his office, the APC chairman said the President’s absence should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness or inability to lead the party’s re-election effort. Muslim-Muslim Ticket Yilwatda also defended the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket of Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, dismissing concerns that the arrangement would marginalise Christians under the APC administration.

He maintained that Christians had continued to have their voices heard in government, adding that those the party had engaged were comfortable with the arrangement. “Most Christians that we’ve engaged and we’ve spoken to them, they are very okay with the Muslim-Muslim ticket,” he said. “The thought and the fear of most Christians was that the Muslim-Muslim ticket may suppress their voices, but their voices are heard loud and clear now.” He also argued that Christians had not suffered molestation because of Tinubu’s religion during the President’s three years in office.

ADC Crisis Reacting to the Federal High Court judgment invalidating the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the APC chairman denied that his party had any involvement in the opposition party’s internal crisis. He questioned why the ADC was blaming the ruling party over a legal dispute instituted by one of its members.

Asked whether he was pleased that the ADC was facing a leadership crisis, Yilwatda said he was not bothered by the development. Yilwatda expressed confidence that Tinubu would defeat Atiku in a free and fair election. He argued that Atiku’s performance in the 2023 presidential election was largely attributable to the political structure of the PDP rather than his individual popularity.

“He did not win because of Atiku; he won because of the structure of the PDP. It was the PDP that brought Atiku, not Atiku winning on his own,” he said. While reacting to reports of electoral violence, Yilwatda maintained that the APC was committed to free and fair elections. “If anybody is injured by anybody across the country, I’m sure it shouldn’t be by APC supporters.

I pity anybody who is being injured, and I sympathise with them. Our party stands for free and fair elections,” he said. The APC chairman also defended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his promise of a ₦10 million reward to councils that deliver their wards for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that the offer did not amount to vote buying.