APC Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda says other 2027 presidential candidates cannot match President Bola Tinubu’s achievements since 2023 as the party begins its campaign preparations.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared that the profiles and records of other presidential candidates cannot match what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has achieved since taking office in 2023.

Yilwatda made the statement while calling on Nigerians to support Tinubu’s bid for another term in office during the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja.

According to the APC chairman, the ruling party believes Tinubu remains the most credible candidate among those seeking the presidency in the 2027 general election.

Yilwatda argued that the administration’s reform programme and development agenda deserve to continue beyond 2027, stressing that Nigerians should consider the work carried out during Tinubu’s first term when deciding who should lead the country.

“We will ask Nigerians to support the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 because we believe he is the most credible among all the candidates presented,” Yilwatda said.

He added that other political contenders had already been tested, but maintained that their records did not compare with what he described as the accomplishments of the Tinubu administration over the past three years.

The APC chairman pointed to several areas where he believes the federal government has made significant progress since Tinubu assumed office.

Among the areas highlighted were road construction, railway development, port projects, gas infrastructure, agricultural development and digital connectivity.

Yilwatda said these projects represented part of the administration’s broader development priorities and should form an important part of the conversation ahead of the 2027 election.

His comments come as political activity intensifies across Nigeria ahead of the presidential election, with the APC preparing its campaign structures and opposition parties also positioning themselves for the contest.

The 2027 presidential race is expected to be highly competitive, with several prominent political figures preparing to challenge the incumbent president.

For the APC leadership, however, Tinubu’s record in office is being presented as one of the strongest arguments for retaining the presidency.

Yilwatda also drew attention to the organisational strength of the ruling party, saying the APC has a large network of officials across the country.

He claimed that the party has more than 261,000 executives operating from the national level down to the ward structure.

According to him, the extensive network gives the APC a major advantage when it comes to mobilising supporters and coordinating its campaign activities across Nigeria.

The APC chairman also highlighted the number of governors aligned with the party.

Yilwatda said the APC has 31 governors, while referring to governors Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State as “supporting wingers” from outside the party.

His comments appeared to underline the extent of the political support surrounding the Tinubu administration as the 2027 contest approaches.

The APC has increasingly emphasised its political structure as part of its strategy for the next election, particularly its presence at the grassroots level.

Yilwatda urged party members not to become complacent because of the party’s existing strength.

Instead, he instructed them to return to their polling units and strengthen their organisation ahead of the election.

He said electoral success would depend not only on the popularity of the president but also on the collective effort of party members and the effectiveness of the APC’s grassroots structures.

The chairman also commended women within the party for their contributions to the APC’s political activities and mobilisation efforts.

He assured party members that every individual had a role to play in the party’s preparations for the 2027 election.

Yilwatda’s assessment of Tinubu’s record comes amid an ongoing national debate over the impact of the administration’s economic reforms.

Since taking office in May 2023, Tinubu has implemented major policy changes, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and reforms to the foreign exchange system.

The policies generated significant economic pressure, particularly during the early stages of the administration, as Nigerians experienced higher living costs and increases in the prices of essential goods.

The government has consistently defended the reforms as necessary measures to stabilise the economy and improve Nigeria’s long-term financial position.

Recent figures cited by the government and international institutions point to improvements in several macroeconomic indicators.

The World Bank reported that Nigeria’s economy grew by 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2026, compared with 3.9 per cent during the corresponding period in 2025.

The institution also reported improvements in Nigeria’s external position, including an increase in gross external reserves to $53.8 billion by the end of August 2026.

The World Bank further said federation revenues had increased substantially in real terms between 2023 and 2025, giving state governments additional resources for capital expenditure.

However, the economic picture remains a subject of debate, with concerns over living costs, employment, food prices and household purchasing power continuing to influence public opinion.

That means the APC is likely to face scrutiny over how its claims about government achievements translate into everyday experiences for Nigerians.

Yilwatda nevertheless maintained that the administration’s performance provides a strong basis for asking voters to renew Tinubu’s mandate.

He argued that the development projects being implemented across different sectors should be considered alongside the government’s reforms when assessing its performance.

Infrastructure has become one of the areas prominently associated with the administration’s development agenda.

Government-backed projects include the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, rehabilitation of federal roads, railway developments and other transportation initiatives.

The administration has also promoted projects involving gas infrastructure, compressed natural gas facilities, housing, healthcare and digital services.

The APC Presidential Campaign Council has presented these initiatives as evidence of what it describes as a record of delivery under Tinubu.

Beyond infrastructure, the government has also highlighted measures aimed at expanding access to education, healthcare and social support.

The administration has continued to promote student financing initiatives, healthcare expansion and targeted assistance programmes as part of its broader Renewed Hope Agenda.

Yilwatda believes the combination of these policies and projects gives Tinubu a record that the APC can take to voters during the 2027 campaign.

The ruling party will, however, need to convince Nigerians that the benefits of its reforms can be felt more widely as the country moves toward the election.

The APC chairman’s comments also reflect the increasingly political nature of discussions surrounding the administration’s performance.

With campaigns already beginning to take shape, both the ruling party and opposition groups are expected to place their records and policy proposals at the centre of the election debate.

For Yilwatda and the APC, the argument is that Tinubu should be judged not only by the difficulties Nigerians have experienced but also by the reforms, infrastructure projects and economic changes undertaken since 2023.

The opposition is expected to offer a different assessment and challenge the government’s interpretation of its performance.

Ultimately, voters will decide whether Tinubu’s record is sufficient to secure another term when Nigerians head to the polls in 2027.

For now, the APC is moving ahead with its campaign preparations, relying on its national political structure and presenting Tinubu’s first-term record as the foundation of its re-election campaign.

Yilwatda has made it clear that the party intends to make the president’s achievements a central part of its message to voters, while urging APC members to strengthen their presence at the grassroots.

As the election approaches, the competing claims about Tinubu’s performance are likely to remain a major feature of Nigeria’s political conversation.

The APC maintains that the administration has delivered enough progress to justify another mandate, while Nigerians will ultimately have the opportunity to assess those claims against their own experiences and expectations for the country’s future.