The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared that the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) lacks the strength to pose any serious challenge to the ruling party.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, Yilwatda played down the political relevance of figures within the opposition coalition, including the ADC National Chairman and former Senate President, David Mark.
He maintained that the APC remains the dominant political force in the country, pointing to developments he said continue to draw opposition governors into the party.
“We have never asked anybody, we have never appealed to any civil servant. Nobody has forced any civil servant in a letter, verbal, you can bring one video to that effect and I will apologise. Maybe the opposition is forcing civil servants so they will have numbers,” he stated.
“ADC is not a match at all (for the APC). For every one person they have, we have five, six of them. If they have David Mark as former Senate President, we have Ahmad Lawan, we have two former Senate President from the South East,” he stated.
Yilwatda rejected suggestions that the APC is unsettled by the growing opposition alliance, insisting that the ruling party is not recruiting civil servants under pressure or intimidation, contrary to claims circulating in political circles.
He further argued that the APC is unfazed by the presence of prominent opposition leaders in the ADC, mentioning figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal, former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, as well as former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola.
During the programme, the APC chairman also highlighted what he described as concrete interventions by the APC-led Federal Government to ease the burden on Nigerians. He referenced several initiatives, with particular emphasis on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Yilwatda, an engineer-turned politician, said the Nigerian Education Loan Fund initiative has provided relief to students and families struggling with tuition costs across the country. According to him, the scheme was designed to address the widespread challenge of students dropping out of school due to financial difficulties.
“Most students in Nigeria have difficulty paying their school fees. I know of many who had to withdraw from universities because they couldn’t afford it,” he said.
He explained that through the programme, students are now able to secure loans that fully cover their tuition fees while also receiving a monthly allowance of N20,000, whether they are actively in school or on holiday.
“I know a number of them who even support their parents back home, invest in farming, and during holidays, help pay the school fees of their younger siblings in secondary schools within their communities,” he added.
According to Yilwatda, the initiative currently supports over one million students nationwide, describing it as accessible to any eligible student facing financial hardship.
“It’s available to anybody in Nigeria. If you’re a student struggling with school fees, register your university and put your name forward to access the student loan. We offset your entire school fees, and you get N20,000 every month,” he said.
He portrayed the scheme as a form of social protection, noting that it indirectly supports families and parents across the country. He also mentioned other welfare interventions, including health insurance programmes that he said have reached between four and five million Nigerians.
What you should know
The APC leadership is projecting confidence ahead of future elections, dismissing the ADC and its coalition partners as politically weak.
Professor Nentawe Yilwatda insists the ruling party remains dominant and is not threatened by high-profile opposition figures. He also used the opportunity to highlight federal social intervention programmes, especially the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, which provides tuition coverage and monthly stipends to students.
According to him, these initiatives are central to easing financial pressure on households and strengthening public support for the APC-led government.
