The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentewe Yilwatda, has assured “legacy members” of the party that political defectors will not be allowed to hijack leadership structures.
He gave the assurance while speaking with newsmen after a closed-door meeting with the party’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) stakeholders on Tuesday in Abuja.
He drew a clear distinction between those who were with the party from its inception and those who recently joined, stating that the interests of both groups would be protected without allowing one to subsume the other.
“It is a home that we built. If the house was not built, nobody would come; so, nobody should come as a warrior and take over,” he said.
He added that the solution lies in a deliberate power-sharing formula that guarantees inclusion across both blocs.
“We must have everybody included; there will be a sharing formula that will ensure that all members of the legacy group and defectors are properly carried along,” Yilwatda said.
Regarding the APC FCT party structure, Yilwatda outlined a five-dimensional sharing formula. This includes gender inclusion—placing women in substantive executive positions rather than merely as “women leaders”—as well as geopolitical representation across all six zones of the country, the inclusion of FCT indigenous tribes, and youth engagement.
The APC National Chairman confirmed a committee chaired by the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Zephaniah Jisalo, describing its members as bona fide APC members. He noted that the committee had conducted zoning for the FCT APC and that its recommendations had been followed to the letter.
Yilwatda further noted that, so far, no APC member has complained of being cheated or deprived, adding that the party’s constitution would be strictly enforced in upcoming congresses. He emphasized that defectors seeking executive positions must produce formal resignation letters accepted by their former party chairmen.
“If you are in the opposition, you must provide a resignation letter and show evidence of both your resignation and its acceptance by your former party chairman,” he said.
He also reiterated the constitutional rule on tenure, stating that if a member has spent eight consecutive years in one office, they must step down or, at most, seek a different office.
The APC Chairman used the occasion to articulate his core political philosophy, asserting that inclusion is a non-negotiable organizational principle.
“We must accommodate all tribes and consider geopolitical balance. I am chairing this party because of inclusion,” he said. “If there were no inclusion, I wouldn’t be here because my tribe is only found in two local governments in this country. I am a minority.”
He concluded by stating that women are great mobilizers who should not only be utilized during election periods, but should also be represented as experts and leaders within the party hierarchy.
