National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has insisted that no governor, individual or political office holder exercises control over the ruling party, stressing that APC decisions are driven by national structures rather than state-level influence.
Speaking on the Sunset programme aired on Jay FM in Jos, Plateau State, Yilwatda said the party operates strictly within an established national framework that prevents the hijack of its structures by powerful interests.
“Across the country, nobody can take over any section of the party. Whatever is done at the state level is planned at the national level. It is not planned at the state level. This is the APC structure and that is how we work,” he said.
The APC chairman emphasised that the party prioritises institutional order over personal authority, noting that no single office holder has overriding control.
“We work with structure; we don’t work with sentiments or emotions. Nobody has control over the party — not even myself. No local government chairman, no governor, no senator or individual controls the APC,” Yilwatda stated.
He further explained that the party deliberately avoided establishing a Board of Trustees to prevent internal crises and power struggles common in other political parties.
“That is why APC does not have a Board of Trustees. APC is owned by the people; the people are the trustees of the party,” he said.
“Unlike other parties where a few individuals control the structures, as national chairman, there is no Board of Trustees supervising me. I supervise myself.”
Yilwatda’s remarks come amid persistent debates over the influence of governors within political parties, particularly in the context of candidate selection and internal decision-making, with the APC leadership keen to project the party as institution-driven rather than personality-led.
