The ruling party’s National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, made the assertion in Abuja while receiving a delegation of APC House of Representatives aspirants led by Danjuma Mohammed at the party’s national secretariat.
However, the contest will ultimately depend on more than competing claims by political parties. Voters will also assess the administration’s economic policies, living costs, employment opportunities, public infrastructure and the performance of opposition candidates.
APC chairman challenges opposition to compare records
Speaking at the meeting, Yilwatda maintained that none of the opposition figures could present a record superior to Tinubu’s.
The chairman placed particular emphasis on infrastructure, arguing that the current administration had advanced major road projects across the country within its first three years.
Yilwatda also criticised previous administrations over their handling of road construction funds, specifically questioning the results achieved under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, when Atiku Abubakar served as vice president.
He alleged that substantial road funding released during that period did not produce visible results comparable to the projects being undertaken by the Tinubu administration.
The remarks were political assessments by the APC chairman. A definitive comparison of the administrations would require examination of project costs, construction timelines, completed sections, quality, funding records and the extent to which the infrastructure has become operational.
Major road projects become part of Tinubu’s re-election argument
Infrastructure development featured prominently in Yilwatda’s defence of the president.
He also claimed that work on the Trans-Sahara Superhighway had reached approximately 30 to 40 per cent, describing the project as an example of the administration’s ambition to expand road connectivity.
The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was another project highlighted during the meeting.
These projects are likely to feature prominently in political debates as the 2027 election approaches. However, the distinction between a project being announced, funded, under construction or completed remains important when assessing infrastructure performance.
For voters, the relevant questions include how much of each road is usable, when outstanding sections will be delivered, how the projects are financed and whether the completed infrastructure improves travel, trade and economic activity.
Independent project updates and official government records will be important in evaluating the APC’s claims as the campaign develops.
Gas pipeline project also features in APC’s defence
Yilwatda also pointed to the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, arguing that its potential economic benefits extend beyond the transportation of natural gas.
He said the gas infrastructure could support fertiliser production, compressed natural gas (CNG), electricity generation, industrial activity and domestic energy use.
The argument reflects the wider economic importance of gas infrastructure to Nigeria, where reliable energy supply and industrial development remain significant policy concerns.
Nevertheless, the economic benefits will depend on the pipeline’s operational status, connections to end users, supporting infrastructure and the ability of industries and households to access the gas.
The project’s actual contribution to electricity generation, manufacturing and household energy use will therefore be a key measure of its long-term value.
Student loans emerge as another political dividing line
Beyond infrastructure, the APC chairman defended the federal government’s student loan programme against criticism of the amount provided to beneficiaries.
Yilwatda referred to complaints about the N20,000 monthly student upkeep payment and argued that the support could make a meaningful difference to students from low-income households.
Drawing on his experience as a former university lecturer, he recalled students who struggled to remain in school because they could not afford their fees.
He also described a student who allegedly saved part of the allowance, purchased a second-hand refrigerator and began selling iced fish to fellow students.
According to Yilwatda, the example demonstrated how relatively modest financial assistance could help students meet their immediate needs and pursue small business opportunities.
He criticised political opponents who questioned the programme while operating universities that charge substantial tuition fees. He also argued that students at those institutions could benefit from the student loan scheme.
The debate highlights an important question for the 2027 election: whether government education support is reaching students effectively and providing enough assistance to keep them in school.
The size of the allowance is only one part of that assessment. Eligibility, access to loans, repayment conditions, the cost of accommodation and transport, and the purchasing power of the support will also matter to students and their families.
Atiku’s reported position on student loans draws criticism
Yilwatda’s remarks also targeted Atiku Abubakar over what the APC chairman described as a proposal to scrap the student loan scheme if elected president.
He used the reported position to portray the opposition as being out of touch with the financial difficulties facing ordinary Nigerians.
The claim should be assessed against Atiku’s own published statements or an official policy document before being treated as a confirmed description of his position. The supplied account attributes the criticism to Yilwatda but does not provide a direct statement from Atiku explaining his policy intentions.
The issue could become an important campaign talking point because student financing affects access to higher education, household spending and the financial future of young Nigerians.
Former PDP aspirants join APC’s re-election mobilisation
The meeting also revealed the role that former opposition-party aspirants could play in the APC’s campaign organisation.
Mohammed told the party leadership that the Forum of APC House of Representatives Aspirants was established in 2022 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to him, the group initially brought together aspirants who contested the party’s primaries but failed to secure nominations. Its original objective was to mobilise support for Atiku and his running mate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, during the 2023 presidential election.
Mohammed said political developments after that election led many members of the forum to join the APC.
He described the group as a nationwide network with members drawn from the country’s 360 federal constituencies and said it was now committed to supporting Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for another term.
The group’s proposed activities include producing and distributing campaign materials in major Nigerian languages, using different media formats and organising political conferences across the six geopolitical zones.
Mohammed said the forum was not seeking to create a parallel party structure or undermine existing APC organs. Instead, it wants to work with the party’s established machinery to mobilise support.
Yilwatda welcomed the proposal and said he would connect the forum with the relevant party directorate to begin the work.
The development illustrates how political alliances and the movement of party loyalists can shape election preparations long before voters cast their ballots.
However, the size of a political network does not automatically translate into electoral success. Its effectiveness will depend on organisation, local support, voter engagement and the ability to turn campaign activities into votes.
Yilwatda urges aspirants to remain loyal after electoral defeats
The APC chairman also used his own electoral experience to encourage the former aspirants to remain committed to the party.
He recalled contesting the Plateau State governorship election, losing the contest and subsequently losing a Supreme Court challenge.
Yilwatda said he returned to serve the party rather than abandon it because of the outcome.
His message was directed at politicians who failed to secure nominations or electoral victories but could still contribute to the party’s wider objectives.
For the APC, keeping aspirants and their supporters engaged could help reduce internal divisions and strengthen its mobilisation ahead of the next general election.
Yilwatda said the party had more than 261,000 executive members and argued that cooperation between the leadership and the aspirants’ forum could help convert its organisational strength into electoral gains.
That figure was presented by the chairman and was not independently verified in the account of the meeting.
What the APC’s declaration means for the 2027 election
The APC’s dismissal of opposition candidates is an early attempt to frame the coming presidential contest around Tinubu’s record in office.
Infrastructure projects, student financing, energy development and the strength of party structures are likely to feature in the ruling party’s defence of its performance.
Opposition parties, in turn, will have opportunities to challenge the administration’s record and present alternative policies on the economy, public services and national development.
The candidates’ eventual electoral strength will depend on a range of factors, including party unity, campaign organisation, regional support, alliances, policy credibility and voters’ experiences under the current administration.
The next important developments to watch include the parties’ candidate-selection processes, the publication of detailed policy proposals, the progress of major infrastructure projects and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s official preparations for the 2027 general election.
For now, Yilwatda’s remarks represent the APC leadership’s confidence in Tinubu’s re-election prospects. Whether that confidence is reflected in voter support will be determined by the political contest and the evidence voters consider most persuasive.
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