The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has vowed that political appointments after the 2027 general elections will be strictly reserved for party loyalists rather than technocrats or professionals.
Yilwatda made this assertion in Abuja on Tuesday while speaking at an event tagged “Renewed Hope Promise Kept 2027: Meet and Greet North-West Mobilisation,” organised by the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo.+See more details
The APC chairman stressed that governance is inherently political and appointees must actively support the party that brought them to power.
A video of his statement went viral on Wednesday, rapidly circulating across social media platforms and generating intense debate among political commentators, party members, and civil society stakeholders nationwide.
While the supporters of APC backed Yilwatda’s statement, analysts say such actions, if implemented, could undermine merit-based governance.
According to the APC chairman, all government appointees must be visible in grassroots politics and actively participate in party activities, stressing there was “nothing like technocrats” when it comes to political appointments.
“We should always look back and remind ourselves of what brought us here. It is votes. There is no vote called technocrats. Once you are given a political appointment, you are a politician. Simple,” he said.
He insisted that he would defend the position that only individuals willing to actively work for the APC should be considered for appointments.
“As party chairman, I will stand strong to defend the position that if you are not prepared to join us, you shouldn’t be given an appointment. If you are a technocrat, go and be a consultant,” he added, urging appointees to combine governance with politics.
“Government policies are campaign promises that must be defended, explained, and promoted by those implementing them. Appointees cannot divorce themselves from party objectives,” Nentawe said, adding that detachment from political mobilisation could weaken the party’s grip on power.
He described the North-West as the “bedrock” of the APC’s success in the 2023 elections and said the region would remain decisive in 2027, accounting for roughly 20 per cent of the party’s membership nationwide, with youths forming the majority.
“Out of the registered members in the North-West, 48 per cent are between the ages of 18 and 35. This means young people own this party,” he said, noting that members aged 50 and above account for just 17 per cent of the APC’s base in the region.
Nentawe also highlighted that appointees must actively engage with the grassroots, asserting that political visibility is a requirement, not an option. He warned that the APC cannot rely solely on technocrats who do not participate in party mobilisation.
“Once you are given a political appointment, you are a politician. If all appointees decide to become technocrats, the party will never return to power,” he said.
Watch Him Speak Below: Full video
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
