Politics

We Have Conflict Resolution Mechanisms No Other Party Has – APC Chairman

Published

5 months ago

May 21, 2026

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe

We Have Conflict Resolution Mechanisms No Other Party Has – APC Chairman

LAGOS — The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, has said the party already has systems in place to settle disagreements that may come up after its primary elections, assuring that aggrieved members would be reconciled ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He spoke after meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the President’s residence in Lagos on Wednesday, where he briefed the President on the ongoing nationwide primaries. Yilwatda said the APC has conflict resolution committees that will help reconcile unhappy members and prevent crises before the 2027 general elections. According to him, it is normal for some aspirants to feel disappointed after losing elections, but the party will begin an early reconciliation process to keep members united ahead of campaigns.

Yilwatda explained that the APC operates a structured conflict management framework designed to manage internal disagreements and sustain cohesion within the party. “Definitely we’re going to have some aggrieved party members after this primary election. We have an internal conflict resolution mechanism that has prevailed over a period,” Yilwatda told journalists after the meeting. He identified two key committees responsible for managing post-primary disputes: The Presidential Conflict Resolution Committee – a high-level intervention body, and The Party Conflict Resolution Committee – operating at the national level to handle grievances.

The chairman said the party has worked to reduce crises as much as possible across states. “Everywhere, if you lose an election, it is not a rare thing. We manage people as much as we can,” he said. “Emotions and sentiments exist when expectations are not met. We ensure an early healing process so we can emerge victorious across the country in 2027.”

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Yilwatda described the ongoing APC primaries as the most competitive in Nigeria’s history, saying thousands of people are contesting for a limited number of positions because of the party’s growing popularity across the country. “The assessment is very simple. You can see how competitive our party has turned out to be. Just simple demand and supply. We have few positions and we have thousands of people who have come to vie for these positions across the country. The most competitive ever in the history of Nigeria,” he said.

The chairman framed the intensity of the contests as proof of the APC’s nationwide penetration and popularity. “It shows how APC has penetrated all communities in Nigeria and how it has been accepted by Nigerians and how every facet of Nigeria wants to be a member of APC,” he stated. He also said the primaries have been mostly peaceful and organised, despite a few complaints from some aspirants. “I also want to thank our supporters for the disciplined approach they’ve given these processes. It’s near rancour-free, very organised, with little complaints. It’s usual for people to complain in election processes, but it’s near perfect,” he said.

On concerns about consensus candidates, Yilwatda explained that the party followed its rules. He said where consensus fails, the party conducts direct primaries. “Our guidelines on consensus are clear. Our guidelines on direct primaries are also clear. Where consensus doesn’t work, you go for direct primaries. That’s what people are doing across the states,” he explained. He added that aspirants involved in consensus arrangements must sign forms agreeing to step down for chosen candidates. “You must sign off those consensus forms that you’ve stepped down. You agreed on a consensus candidate before the process takes place. That’s what we’re following in the guidelines,” Yilwatda said.

The Electoral Act 2026 makes provision for two methods of primaries — either through consensus or direct primary — ruling out the option of indirect primary. The APC leadership had initially preferred the consensus option as less cumbersome in terms of logistics, but where a chapter fails to reach an agreement, direct primaries are conducted.

Speaking about President Tinubu’s reaction, Yilwatda said the President was impressed with the conduct of the primaries, especially the logistics and the low number of incidents recorded nationwide. “The President was very impressed with the logistics we deployed across the country, the tactics we’ve used also. He has also been very impressed with the reduced number of incidents that we have across the country. He’s happy with what we’re doing,” Yilwatda said.

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President Tinubu had earlier exhorted party members to ensure a transparent and peaceful primary process, emphasizing the importance of fairness across the 360 constituencies. He viewed the primaries as a crucial test of the party’s unity and democratic principles, urging members to uphold the party’s founding values of progressive politics, consensus, sacrifice, and selflessness. The President warned against divisive behaviour, stating: “We cannot afford rancorous conduct or the debasement of our democracy and party unity.” He advised winners to be magnanimous and losers to accept outcomes gracefully, emphasizing that political success is a collective achievement for the party.

Yilwatda noted that this is the first time the APC is organising direct primaries across the country on such a large scale, with result sheets and logistics similar to those used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). “This is the first time that we’re deploying a nationwide direct primary process. We printed our result sheets and put in place logistics exactly like what INEC does,” he said. The nationwide deployment of direct primaries this cycle marked a significant step and indicated improvements in the party’s organisational capacity. Yilwatda credited members’ discipline for leading to “limited conflicts” during the process.

The direct primary system, mandated by the Electoral Act 2026, allows every registered party member to participate in candidate selection rather than relying solely on delegates. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) instructed its Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to monitor these primaries, as 19 out of the 20 registered political parties submitted their election schedules. The APC’s primary election timeline included House of Representatives candidates elected across 8,809 electoral wards nationwide on May 16, senatorial candidates on May 18, House of Assembly primaries on May 20, governorship primaries on May 21, and the presidential primary scheduled to conclude the process on May 23.

Despite Yilwatda’s assurances, the APC primary elections in some states have been marred by controversy. No less than 10 aspirants across various states have rejected the outcome of the primaries, insisting that the processes were marred by irregularities. In Ekiti State, House of Representatives aspirant Teju Okuyiga officially rejected the outcome of the APC primary election held on May 16 for Ekiti South Federal Constituency II, describing the shadow election as a complete “sham” that entirely failed to meet the minimum benchmark required for a free, fair, and credible democratic exercise.

The lawmaker alleged that party officials manipulated the process and disregarded electoral guidelines during the primary. “The exercise was a sham and fell far short of the minimum standards for a free, fair, and credible party primary,” Okuyiga stated. She alleged that results were announced in several wards where no voting took place, and that no election occurred in most wards across the three local government areas in the constituency.

In Ekiti North Senatorial District, senatorial aspirant Otunba Oluwadare Owolabi called for the cancellation of the APC primary election, citing alleged irregularities and violence during the exercise. According to him, there was no proper accreditation and votes were not counted appropriately. He alleged that officials deployed to supervise the election were government employees, compromising the neutrality of the exercise, and accused organizers of deliberately disrupting the venue, creating panic among party members and supporters. “I consider what happened an act of terrorism against democracy,” Owolabi maintained.

A reliable source at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja confirmed that an appeal committee has been set up to receive complaints arising from all categories of the primaries. The source said aggrieved aspirants who called the national headquarters to complain were referred back to appeal committees in their respective states. The committees are expected to act on the complaints, adding that in a situation where they cannot resolve a case, such will then be referred to the party’s leadership. However, reports indicated that even as of Wednesday, issues remained unresolved in many states.

Yilwatda also thanked Tinubu for supporting the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and backing efforts to enforce party rules. The chairman expressed confidence that the party’s internal mechanisms would successfully resolve post-primary disputes, allowing the APC to focus on the 2027 general elections. He said the party has worked to reduce crises as much as possible across states, describing the primaries as a logistical success and crediting members’ discipline for the limited conflicts recorded during the process.

“The party has worked to reduce the crisis as much as possible. We ensure an early healing process so we can emerge victorious across the country in 2027,” Yilwatda said. He noted that major voting blocs, including Kano and Katsina, remain firmly aligned with the APC, which he described as key strongholds for the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

We Have Conflict Resolution Mechanisms No Other Party Has – APC Chairman

Related Topics:APC Conflict Resolution Mechanisms

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Wike to Amaechi: What Did You Bring to Rivers After 24 Years in Power?

Published

18 hours ago

October 3, 2026

Trends Admin

Nyesom Wike, Rotimi Amaechi

Wike to Amaechi: What Did You Bring to Rivers After 24 Years in Power?

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has challenged former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi to identify the projects and political empowerment he attracted to Evo Kingdom and Rivers State during his 24 years in senior public office.

Wike made the remarks on Friday, October 2, 2026, during an interactive session with leaders and stakeholders of Evo Kingdom in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Amaechi served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly for eight years, governor of the state for eight years and Minister of Transportation for eight years.

Wike questioned what he described as Amaechi’s record of development and political empowerment, challenging stakeholders to identify tangible projects he said the former governor attracted to the area during his time in office.

“Someone was Speaker of the House of Assembly for eight years, Governor for eight years, and Minister for eight years—that is 24 years in top leadership positions,” Wike said.

He asked the people of Evo Kingdom and Rivers State to identify what Amaechi attracted to the area during those years, adding that he could list projects he personally attracted to the state while serving as Minister of State for Education.

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Wike also criticised what he described as a leadership style in which political office holders fail to develop successors or empower others to take over from them.

He said leadership should involve human capacity development, creating opportunities for others and building structures that can survive after a leader leaves office.

The FCT minister said his own political ambition was no longer centred on returning to positions he had previously occupied.

“I can’t be a governor again. I’ve been a minister two times. I cannot be chairman of council again. So I am happy. I don’t have anything to lose,” he said.

Wike also said political leaders should leave behind people capable of sustaining whatever structures or achievements they established while in office.

According to him, leadership becomes fragile when everything is built around one individual and collapses after that person leaves the political scene.

The minister further recalled his administration’s restructuring of the traditional institution in Rivers State, saying it gave Evo Kingdom representation on the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers.

The latest comments are part of the continuing political exchanges between Wike and Amaechi, who served as governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015, with Wike succeeding him in office.

Amaechi, who is now the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, has also recently criticised the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over its record of infrastructure delivery and the impact of economic policies on Nigerians. (Channels Television)

Wike, meanwhile, has continued to publicly support President Tinubu and has been mobilising political stakeholders in Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections. During his latest engagement with the Evo Kingdom stakeholders, he also urged political actors to work together in the interest of the state.

The claims made by Wike about Amaechi’s record of projects and empowerment represent his assessment of his political rival and are part of an ongoing political dispute between the two former Rivers governors.

Wike to Amaechi: What Did You Bring to Rivers After 24 Years in Power?

Politics

2027: Oshiomhole Dares Opposition Over ₦500 Petrol Promise, Says APC Will Take Argument to Nigerians

Published

24 hours ago

October 3, 2026

Trends Admin

Senator Adams Oshiomhole

2027: Oshiomhole Dares Opposition Over ₦500 Petrol Promise, Says APC Will Take Argument to Nigerians

Abuja — Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, has declared that he is unbothered by opposition promises to crash the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to ₦500 per litre, stating that the ruling party will take the debate directly to the Nigerian people.

Oshiomhole made the assertion during a recent political engagement, according to a report monitored by Newstrends.ng on Friday. The former Edo State governor was responding to recent campaign pledges by opposition figures who have proposed a “Fuel Affordability Plan” aimed at leveraging local refining capacity to bring down the cost of petrol.

“I’m not worried about the promise to sell petrol at ₦500; we’ll take the argument to Nigerians,” Oshiomhole stated, signaling the APC’s readiness to defend its downstream sector policies ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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The APC chieftain, known for his combative political style, questioned the consistency of the opposition’s stance on fuel subsidies. He reminded Nigerians that key opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had previously championed the removal of fuel subsidies during their time in office, arguing that their sudden conversion to affordable pump prices was politically motivated rather than economically sound.

Oshiomhole’s comments underscore the ruling party’s strategy to frame the 2027 election as a choice between what it describes as the “realistic economic reforms” of the President Bola Tinubu administration and what it calls the “populist rhetoric” of the opposition.

While the opposition maintains that its ₦500 per litre proposal is a well-thought-out plan to support local refining and not a return to the old corrupt subsidy regime, Oshiomhole insists that the APC will meet them at the grassroots level to dissect the feasibility of such promises.

Political observers note that the debate over fuel prices remains a highly emotive issue in Nigeria, given its direct impact on transportation, food prices, and the overall cost of living. As the 2027 election cycle gathers momentum, Oshiomhole’s remarks signal that the APC intends to go on the offensive, using the fuel subsidy debate as a key battleground to challenge the opposition’s credibility with the electorate.

2027: Oshiomhole Dares Opposition Over ₦500 Petrol Promise, Says APC Will Take Argument to Nigerians

Politics

Tinubu Unpopular, Yet 2027 Re-election Still Possible — The Economist

Published

1 day ago

October 3, 2026

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu Unpopular, Yet 2027 Re-election Still Possible — The Economist

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may be facing widespread dissatisfaction among Nigerians, but a divided opposition, religious considerations, incumbency and low voter turnout could shape the outcome of the 2027 presidential election, according to an analysis by the British publication, The Economist.

In a report titled “Nigerians Dislike Their President, But May Re-elect Him Anyway,” the publication examined the political dynamics surrounding the forthcoming presidential election and questioned why the President appears relatively confident about his chances despite the economic and security challenges confronting the country.

The analysis was published as Nigeria approaches the 2027 presidential election, with The Economist noting that Tinubu’s administration is operating amid a worsening security situation and economic pressures that have affected many households.

The publication specifically examined the situation in Borno State, where insurgency has persisted for years, damaging economic activities and leaving many young people without jobs and businesses struggling.

It noted that while Tinubu secured 54 per cent of the presidential vote in Borno in 2023, recent polling cited from SBM Intelligence suggested that his popularity in the state had fallen behind those of opposition figures Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar.

The report said some residents of Maiduguri were prepared to express their dissatisfaction at the ballot box.

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However, The Economist argued that public dissatisfaction alone might not determine the election, pointing to several structural factors within Nigeria’s political system.

One of the major factors identified was the fragmentation of the opposition.

The publication observed that Obi and Atiku had not formed a joint ticket, meaning that voters opposed to the ruling All Progressives Congress could be divided among different candidates.

It quoted Joachim MacEbong of Control Risks as saying that because there was no united opposition ticket, the anti-APC vote was not necessarily being consolidated behind one candidate.

The publication also identified incumbency as another factor in Nigerian elections, noting that sitting governments have access to established political structures and resources that can be mobilised during campaigns.

Religion was also discussed in the analysis, particularly in relation to northern Nigeria.

The Economist noted that Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima are Muslims, as are the majority of people in the northern region.

It quoted SBM Intelligence chief Cheta Nwanze as saying that the continued Muslim-Muslim ticket “resonates with quite a number of people”.

The report also suggested that religious identity could affect some voters considering Peter Obi, a Catholic, despite his Muslim running mate.

Beyond party politics and religion, the publication highlighted what it described as political cynicism among some voters.

It quoted MacEbong as saying that in communities where citizens have experienced prolonged shortages of security, healthcare and quality education, expectations of government can become increasingly low.

The report cited Borno as an example, saying that some residents might judge the government differently because of the long history of poor public services in the state.

The security situation could also affect voter participation.

According to the publication, turnout in Borno during the 2023 presidential election was below 20 per cent, compared with about 27 per cent nationwide.

It suggested that insecurity could discourage some voters from travelling to polling units during the next election.

In southern Nigeria, particularly Lagos, the report noted that regional identity could also influence voting behaviour, with some residents potentially considering Tinubu as a “son” of the state despite dissatisfaction over economic conditions.

The Economist also acknowledged that Tinubu’s economic reforms, including the removal of the petrol subsidy, have been welcomed by some investors and have contributed to economic adjustments.

However, it said the reforms had yet to translate into noticeable improvements in the daily lives of many Nigerians.

The publication consequently presented the 2027 contest as one in which economic hardship and insecurity could coexist with political factors capable of shaping voter behaviour.

The analysis has generated debate in Nigeria, particularly over whether dissatisfaction with the administration would translate into a consolidated opposition vote.

The 2027 presidential contest is expected to feature Tinubu and several opposition candidates, making the configuration of alliances and the distribution of votes among the major contenders significant factors in the election.

The Economist’s report is an analysis of the factors that could influence the 2027 contest; it is not a poll establishing the eventual winner.