Mixed reactions have continued to trail the appointment of former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) official, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as stakeholders trade words over its implications ahead of the 2027 elections.
While former Plateau State Governor and current senator, Simon Lalong, hailed the appointment as a strategic boost for the Tinubu-led administration, former APC chieftain Eze Chukwuemeka Eze sharply criticised the move, alleging it is part of a wider scheme to influence the 2027 electoral process.
Lalong led APC leaders from Plateau on a solidarity visit to Yilwatda at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. He described the former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) as a seasoned strategist whose experience in elections will benefit the ruling party.
“An electoral officer understands elections better than anyone else. His experience is an added advantage to this party,” Lalong stated. He also dismissed concerns that Yilwatda’s lack of governorship experience disqualified him, noting that the new chairman has the tools to mobilise middle-class Nigerians and youths for the APC.
The senator also downplayed the rising profile of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying its tactics were familiar to the APC and would not pose a serious threat in 2027.
However, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze accused President Bola Tinubu of having ulterior motives with the appointment. In a statement, he claimed Tinubu plans to rig the 2027 elections and is using Yilwatda’s INEC background to that end. He also criticised what he described as the “weaponisation” of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against political opponents.
According to Eze, the government’s moves suggest fear over the conduct of a credible election in 2027. “Tinubu’s appointment of Yilwatda and the targeting of opposition voices through EFCC probes will not save him from defeat. Nigerians are more determined than ever to break the cycle of misrule,” he said.
He warned that the real battle in 2027 would not be between APC and ADC or any other party, but between the ruling party and disenchanted Nigerians. He also accused the administration of intimidating former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, one of Buhari’s trusted allies, in an attempt to destabilise the emerging opposition coalition.
Eze further alleged that Malami was being probed over several financial scandals, including a controversial $496 million payment to Global Steel Holdings Ltd and the handling of multi-billion naira assets forfeited to the EFCC.
He described the use of federal agencies to suppress opposition as outdated and ineffective, asserting that Nigerians are now more politically aware and unwilling to be intimidated.
