The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will win the 2027 presidential election, claiming that internal surveys conducted by the ruling party show the incumbent ahead of his potential challengers.
Yilwatda disclosed this during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, where he said the party had conducted surveys across different states and obtained figures suggesting that Tinubu was leading the race ahead of the next general election.
The APC chairman maintained that the party’s findings had strengthened its confidence in the president’s re-election prospects, although he did not publicly provide detailed polling figures, sample sizes or information about the methodology used to conduct the surveys.
Asked whether the party’s polls indicated that Tinubu would win the 2027 presidential election, Yilwatda responded affirmatively.
He said the APC had undertaken fact-finding exercises and gathered statistics from across the country, which he argued supported the party’s position that the president remained ahead of his potential challengers.
However, the figures cited by Yilwatda represent the ruling party’s own assessment and have not been independently established as a prediction of the election outcome.
The APC chairman also dismissed suggestions that opposition parties could pose a significant challenge to the ruling party, specifically referencing the African Democratic Congress (ADC), associated with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), associated with Peter Obi.
Yilwatda argued that the opposition’s performance in elections held ahead of the 2027 general election gave the APC grounds for confidence.
He also compared Tinubu with Atiku, describing the incumbent president as a better option than the former vice-president.
The comments reflect the APC leadership’s growing public confidence as political parties prepare for the next presidential contest.
Defending the Tinubu administration’s record, Yilwatda highlighted its economic policies, particularly tax reforms, which he said had expanded the country’s tax base and increased government revenue.
He maintained that the reforms were designed to improve public finances while providing benefits to economically disadvantaged Nigerians.
The APC chairman also pointed to changes in the electricity sector, arguing that state governments had gained greater opportunities to participate in electricity generation, transmission and distribution.
According to him, the reforms were part of broader efforts to restructure key sectors of the economy and improve governance.
Yilwatda acknowledged, however, that Nigerians continued to face economic difficulties, particularly the impact of higher petrol prices on household spending and transportation costs.
He described the current hardship as temporary and expressed confidence that Nigerians would continue to support the ruling party.
His remarks come amid public debate over the economic consequences of the administration’s policies, including the removal of petrol subsidies and the introduction of fiscal reforms.
While the government has defended the changes as necessary for improving public finances and restructuring the economy, the cost of living remains an important issue in political discussions ahead of the 2027 election.
Yilwatda also rejected allegations that the APC protects its members from prosecution, insisting that party affiliation does not exempt individuals from legal proceedings.
He said some APC members were already facing court cases, using this to support his argument that the party does not shield its members from accountability.
On the party’s preparations for the next election, the chairman disclosed that the APC was reviewing its presidential campaign council list and planned to inaugurate the council soon.
He also said he had no objection to individuals and political groups supporting Tinubu’s re-election bid, including the Rainbow Coalition associated with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.
Yilwatda dismissed the opposition’s ‘Tinubu Must Go’ campaign, arguing that it did not reflect the views of Nigerians as a whole.
Nevertheless, the actual level of support for Tinubu and his challengers will depend on voters’ preferences and the political developments leading up to the election.
Although the APC chairman’s comments indicate strong confidence within the ruling party, the absence of publicly available details about its internal surveys makes it difficult to independently assess the strength of the claimed lead.
The 2027 presidential election is expected to feature competing political parties seeking to persuade Nigerians through their candidates, policies and records in government.
For now, Yilwatda’s declaration represents the APC’s position on the coming contest rather than an independently verified forecast of the result. The eventual outcome will be determined by eligible voters when the election takes place.
