There are indications that a new crisis is brewing in the All Progressives Congress (APC) as some aggrieved governors are said to be pushing for the removal of Professor Nentawe Yilwatda as the party’s National Chairman ahead of the 2027 elections.
The plot to remove Yilwatda from office is being masterminded by five APC Governors who are aggrieved by the conduct and outcome of the party’s primaries for the 2027 elections, according to reports.
Leadership reports that the Governors include two from the Southwest, two from the Northcentral and one from the Southsouth.
However, the reports suggest that one of the Southwest Governors is spearheading the plot to remove Yilwatda from office and replace him ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to top party sources quoted in the report, it was learnt that the Governors are angry with the national chairman over his refusal to do their bidding during the recently concluded National Assembly primaries conducted by the APC across the country.
It is learnt that they are unhappy with Yilwatda’s demand that all results must be properly scrutinised by the National Working Committee (NWC) before final ratification and official announcement at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
I Did Not Commit the Crime
But Yilwatda, through his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, said all decisions on the procedure for the primaries were undertaken with the collective agreement of all stakeholders in the party.
He claimed that the agreed procedure was followed in conducting the primaries and declaring the final results.
On the development, the chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, PGF, and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Oguwike Nwachuku, said he was not in a position to speak for the PGF.
But party insiders told our correspondent that the APC 2026 Primary Election Guidelines clearly stated that election committees should collate results at the constituency and senatorial district levels before forwarding them to the party’s national headquarters for verification and ratification by the NWC.
However, many governors reportedly ignored this provision and allegedly insisted that results be collated and winners announced directly in their respective state capitals.
APC Leadership Stance
An APC National Secretariat source in Abuja who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the party leadership was aware of the alleged plot against the chairman.
The source claimed that some of the governors had tried to buy off the forms for their preferred candidates ahead of the party primaries.
But he said that Yilwatda refused to give in to their demands or to impose candidates on them.
He said: “The first intention of these governors was to put pressure on members of the NWC to sell the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms to only aspirants whose names they sent to the national headquarters. They were prepared to contribute one billion naira each.
“But it was the national chairman who frustrated the plan and insisted that every aspirant should be given equal access to obtain the party forms. That was looked upon as his first offence against the governors.
“The second problem was his refusal to allow governors to individually appoint all the members of the election committees and appeal panels that were sent to their states. “If governors could pick all the committee members, it would have been easier for them to install their favourite candidates and influence the reports to support their actions.
The Tinubu Effect
The source said the refusal of Yilwatda to play their game was a big red flag for some of the Governors hence the push to replace him ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He however stated that the aggrieved Governors have not been able to convince President Bola Tinubu of their stance, thus slowing down their moves.
“These governors have been meeting regularly over this plot and we are also aware of the role being played by a South-West governor. They are already spreading propaganda against the national chairman, claiming that he is ‘inexperienced and nepotistic’ and that it would be risky for the party to let him manage its affairs before the 2027 polls.
“But their biggest challenge is how to get the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their mission. “I doubt if they can convince him because he is a man that allowed governors to choose their candidates for the state assemblies without interference from the National Secretariat,” he said.
Go To Appeal
On his part, the Special Adviser to the APC Chairman on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, said the party has laid down procedures to address grievances.
He also rubbished reports of a gang up against Yilwatda.
“Nowhere is there anything like anger. All decisions taken on the primary elections were taken with the collective agreement of all stakeholders in the party.
“There is nothing like not letting governors decide the outcome of the primaries.
“Results can be collated and announced at the local government and state levels, but no candidate should be formally declared winner at that stage. This is because some aspirants may like to use their constitutional right to appeal by filing petitions to the appeal committee.
“The NWC can only make a final declaration of winner after such appeals are received, thoroughly scrutinised and considered on their merit by the National Working Committee of the party. That is the correct sequence to the official declaration of a winner,” he said.
Yilwatda became the APC National Chairman after his predecessor, Abdullahi Ganduje, resigned on health grounds in June 2025.
It is believed that he has the backing of President Tinubu for the position.
