Nentawe Yilwatda Says APC Governors Must Support Only Party Candidates

Nentawe Yilwatda, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has declared that the ruling party will not support candidates outside its platform, insisting that APC governors should back the party’s candidates at all levels ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Yilwatda made the position known during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, amid growing debate over the proposed Rainbow Coalition and its implications for political alliances ahead of the next election cycle.

Nentawe Yilwatda Defends APC’s Position on Party Loyalty

Yilwatda maintained that the APC would focus on promoting its own candidates rather than supporting aspirants contesting under other political parties.

He stated that the party would not endorse candidates outside its platform and expected its governors to uphold the same position during the elections. His comments underline the APC leadership’s determination to protect the party’s electoral interests as preparations for 2027 continue.

The declaration could also intensify conversations about the relationship between party loyalty and broader political cooperation. While political parties often seek alliances to improve their electoral prospects, such arrangements can become contentious when members disagree over which candidates deserve their support.

Nentawe Yilwatda’s Statement Raises Questions About the Rainbow Coalition

The controversy surrounding the Rainbow Coalition centres on whether politicians from different parties can cooperate to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid while continuing to back their respective parties’ candidates in governorship and legislative elections.

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has maintained that supporting Tinubu does not necessarily mean abandoning the PDP or supporting APC candidates in every other contest. This position differs from the APC governors’ stated preference for backing candidates officially sponsored by their party.

Yilwatda’s declaration therefore raises a political question: can a coalition built around a presidential candidate remain effective when its participants have competing interests in state and legislative elections? The answer may depend on how the parties and political actors involved manage their differences in the months ahead. Nentawe Yilwatda’s remarks reinforce the APC leadership’s emphasis on party loyalty as the 2027 elections approach. However, the debate over the Rainbow Coalition highlights the challenges of balancing cross-party cooperation with the interests of individual political parties.

Whether the arrangement develops into a significant electoral force or faces difficulties over competing ambitions remains to be seen.

OGM News will continue to follow developments surrounding the APC, the Rainbow Coalition and Nigeria’s evolving political alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections.Suggested angle: The report presents the APC chairman’s position clearly while leaving room for debate about whether strict party loyalty can coexist with broader political alliances.