The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has extended a cautious congratulation to Nentawe Yilwatda following his appointment as the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), becoming the ruling party’s fourth leader in two years.
In a press statement issued on Friday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said Yilwatda’s emergence offers the APC a renewed opportunity to uphold democratic values and engage opposition parties with greater tolerance and respect.
While acknowledging the significance of leadership transitions in political organisations, Abdullahi criticised the APC for what it described as a history of conflating governance with propaganda and exercising power with impunity.
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He urged the new chairman to reverse this trend by fostering a more inclusive and accountable political environment.
“We hope that under Yilwatda’s leadership, the APC and the federal government it controls will learn to accept disagreement as a democratic necessity, not sabotage, and view criticism as constructive, not subversive,” the statement read in part.
Abdullahi also expressed concern over the venue of the APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that brought Yilwatda into office, which was held at the State House.
He described the choice of venue, a public facility funded by taxpayers, as a violation of the principle separating party and state.
“This decision signals how far the ruling party has drifted from the standards of democratic accountability,” Abdullahi stated, urging Yilwatda to guide the APC back to respecting institutional boundaries.
He further noted Yilwatda’s past service as a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), describing it as a weighty credential that demands a commitment to electoral neutrality.
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He urged him to use his experience to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic processes rather than manipulate them to the advantage.
Abdullahi expressed hope for a more honourable and enduring tenure for Yilwatda than those of his immediate predecessors.
