• Ruling party strong enough to manage defectors’ expectations – Otu
The National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, has revealed that more politicians from opposition parties are set to defect to the ruling APC in the days ahead.
Yilwatda made this known during a meeting Plateau APC stakeholders held at Crest Hotel, Jos yesterday.
The National Chairman of APC, while apologising for arriving for the meeting late, attributed his lateness to a meeting he held with all APC governors in Kebbi State the previous day to assess the state of the party.
Assuring members that the ruling party was in very healthy condition, he said “there is no viral or bacterial infection. We even took the party to the lab in Kebbi—it came out clean!”
The APC Chairman then revealed that the party would be receiving some new defectors from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) next week.
Yilwatda said: “Next week, I will be receiving some notable figures from the ADC.
“Some of those who had defected from PDP have reached out to ADC and are now returning to APC.
“Many of them have completed their ‘medicals’ and will be officially unveiled next week.
“In another two weeks, we will unveil yet another big figure who just finished his own ‘medicals.’
“He tried to unveil himself the day before yesterday—you probably saw it in the news. But officially, we’ll be receiving him soon.
“More people are coming. More senators are joining; more governors, more members of the National Assembly. The APC is the bride of the moment.”
Commending party members for the solidarity he enjoyed from them on the death and burial of his mother recently, he thanked them for standing firmly by him durin the trying period.
He said: “When I lost my dear mother, the entire APC family and Platin Alcohol stood firmly by me.
“You provided a shoulder to lean on and became a pillar of strength for me during one of the most difficult moments of my life.
“My tears were soothed because you were there to offer comfort and support.
“Thank you so much for all you did—from the very beginning of my loss, through the burial, and even after.
“May God bless and reward you richly.
“I must also extend my deepest gratitude for how you stood your ground when we faced the setback at the Supreme Court.
“Many people thought that was the end of APC on the Plateau; that we had been buried politically.
“But what they didn’t see was the seed that had already been sown.
“That seed germinated, and today, APC is stronger, more vibrant and growing bigger by the day.
“I’d also like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome our new members.
Some, like “The Masquerade,” are actually among the founding fathers of APC—so this is more of a homecoming than a new beginning.
“You are welcome back home, along with the former treasurer and the former Chairman of Mikang Local Government—also founding fathers of our great party.
“At the state level, I want to welcome others who have returned or joined us from various parties—Labour Party, PRP (like Boni), and PDP (like the one fondly referred to as “The Big Priest from the Dew Shrine”).
“As presented by the leader, you are all welcome.
“The beauty of APC is that it is a party that welcomes people, regardless of when they join.
“You don’t need to have been in APC from the beginning to rise. I am a testimony to this fact—many others are as well.
“If you join APC today, you are a full member with full rights and privileges.
“That is the spirit and the letter of our party’s constitution.
“This is your home. Your room is ready. Your bed is ready. The food is ready. Everything in the house is ready for you.
“And for those of you who were chased out of PDP, be encouraged.
“The Bible says God will prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. That is exactly what God is doing for you here in APC.
“Those who rejected you will see you celebrated here.”
Charging party members to remain loyal and dedicated, he said they should think twice if anyone is trying to deceive them to leave the APC.
“Even those trying to lure you to PDP are on my phone daily, asking quietly for a chance to return.
“They are like Nicodemus, reaching out in secret.
“We have set up a dedicated team to prepare and ensure that our members take maximum advantage of this programme.
“This is your label, your sweat—it belongs to you. It is your product, your effort, and your votes that have been harvested.
“We are committed to ensuring that no one is left behind—especially those who suffered, who voted, and who stood with us.
“Whether you are just joining us today or you’ve been here from the beginning, you are part of the labour.
“This programme is not meant only for early entrants or original members. What we are working on to benefit our people will cover everyone.
“Whether you arrive today, tomorrow or next week, you are part and parcel of the design we’re putting in place to benefit our people at the state level.
“We have received many individuals who have decamped to join us—and more are still coming.
“We are also working on medical support for a lot of our members. As they continue to come in, we will screen and sign, screen and sign, screen and sign.
“We will do our best to ensure that there is a place for everyone.
“It’s like building a football team. We sign and assign—sign players and assign them positions.
“All local governments, all wards, all communities—we need people to come in and inject life into this movement. The more, the merrier.
“That is the hallmark of politics. The more people you have, the stronger the movement becomes.
“We have seen the excitement across the board. I remember vividly—on the day of my mother’s burial, when Mr. President arrived at the church, he turned to me and said, ‘I’ve not seen this kind of crowd in most places I’ve visited.’
“He acknowledged that the APC family on the Plateau is truly strong.
“Now, imagine if only a handful of members—say six of them—had gone to the airport to receive him, and then the streets were empty, the church was empty, and we conducted the burial in silence. What impression would he have taken back to Abuja about APC in Plateau?
“Instead, he left with a clear message: APC in Plateau is strong, organised, and ready.
“All of us here have passed that message to him loud and clear: We have the numbers. We can win elections. We can hold Plateau State. We have the capacity. And all of us here are determined.
“As Governor Lalong said, ‘choice gets back to rescue, rescue gets back to Generation Next.” These three forces—Choice, Rescue, and Generation Next—have now given a new face to APC on the Plateau.
“So now, if you want to name it, you can call it Choice to Rescue Plateau for Generation Next.
“Anyhow you want to call it, the essence remains the same—rescuing Plateau for the future of the next generation.
“We are proposing that OPA Week be held on October 30, 2025, during which all those who have decamped will be officially received into the APC.
He revealed that the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, had agreed to officially receive all the decampees on the APC platform.
“Less than two weeks ago, we welcomed the President. In two weeks’ time, we’ll welcome the Vice President.“Just yesterday, I spoke with a number of governors, and a good number of them have agreed to be in attendance.
“The Senate President has offered to come, and the Speaker of the House has also indicated his willingness to attend.
“So once again, we will have a full house on the Plateau—just like we did during my mother’s burial.
“And this time, we will elevate the atmosphere, raise the volume, increase the energy, and turn up the dancing steps!”
APC strong enough to manage defections, expectations – Otu
Cross River Governor Bassey Otu, has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) remains the most formidable political platform capable of managing the wave of defections and the expectations of new entrants and long-standing members ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the quarterly meeting of the APC Governors’ Forum in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, Otu attributed the growing attraction to the ruling party to what he described as “the steady and deliberate revival of Nigeria’s economy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
The attraction is simple. The economy is growing, and it’s very clear that His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, is doing the right things. Everyone who truly desires progress and the growth of Nigeria is naturally gravitating toward that direction. People can now see a clear path of economic recovery and stability,” he said.
The governor dismissed insinuations of internal tension within the party, assuring that the APC has the structure and maturity to harmonise interests between its founding and new members.
“From the day you join APC, you have equal rights. The machinery put in place is such that there will be no issue. Our main agenda is not about internal politics but about delivering to Nigerians the dividends of good governance,” he stated.
According to him, the focus of the APC under President Tinubu remains the transformation of the national economy, deepening democratic governance, and ensuring that citizens feel the tangible benefits of reforms being undertaken at both federal and state levels. “It’s not about who came first or last,” he emphasized, “it’s about uniting to build a country that works for everyone.”
Responding to questions on the 2027 elections, Otu said the performance of the administration and the trajectory of its policies already provide strong grounds for optimism.
“The policies under the Renewed Hope Agenda are delivering real results. This meeting is for retrospection, alignment, and collaboration, to ensure that as governors, we are all moving on the right path of sustainable development.”
The Cross River Governor expressed satisfaction with the pace of progress being recorded nationwide, citing improvements in key sectors.
