Nentawe Yilwatda, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said that the massive turnout recorded during the party’s nationwide presidential primaries demonstrates its growing grassroots acceptance and internal democratic strength.
He made the remark after casting his vote at Dungung Ward in Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State on Saturday.
Yilwatda said the conduct of the exercise had further deepened democratic participation within the party, noting that members turned out in large numbers across polling units.
He was accompanied by Simon Lalong, former Plateau State Governor and ex-Director-General of the Tinubu Campaign Council and received by Lapchin Golime, the Chairman of Kanke Local Government Council.
He praised party members for their discipline and enthusiasm, describing the turnout as a reflection of strong internal support.
“You can see the massive turnout in all the places we visited. It is organic. The support for President Tinubu is organic. The support for the party is organic,” he said.
“The entire community is coming out to affirm that what we are seeing today will reflect during the general election. These thousands here are APC members alone. Imagine what the turnout will be when the larger community joins during the election proper”.
Yilwatda maintained that APC’s reach into rural communities explained its growing popularity, adding that many Nigerians now identify with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu. He said this accounted for why more politicians were seeking the party’s platform for elections.
“Everybody wants to be in APC. People are rejecting other political options because APC is seen as the best vehicle to government. That is why we are confident APC will not lose the election,” he declared.
He acknowledged grievances arising from the primaries but said the party had established reconciliation mechanisms to address disputes.
“In APC, we do not discard dissenting voices. We engage, reconcile and bring everybody together because our goal is not just to win with a few members but to move forward as one united family,” he stated.
Yilwatda added that appeal committees had been set up to handle complaints, stressing that no winner is final until the internal review process is completed.
He was joined by Lalong, who commended the party’s leadership for strengthening internal democracy and described the turnout as evidence of rising public confidence in APC and the Tinubu administration.
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