A new political alignment is taking shape in Nigeria’s capital as the All Progressives Congress (APC) confirms a working partnership with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and his faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), even as it moves to tighten control over its internal structure.
APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, made the disclosure while addressing party stakeholders ahead of congresses in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), drawing a clear line between collaboration and control.
He explained that Wike’s alliance with the APC was formally approved by the PDP in 2023, stressing that the ruling party did not initiate the arrangement. “It is the PDP that approved his collaboration, not the APC,” Yilwatda said.
Despite the partnership, the APC chairman was firm that Wike remains outside the party’s decision-making process. He stated that the minister is not an APC member and has never been consulted on internal party matters.
Yilwatda used the moment to caution recent defectors against attempting to dominate existing party structures, warning that long-standing members must not be sidelined. He described the party as a “home already built” that cannot be taken over by newcomers.
To manage tensions between legacy members and defectors, he outlined a power-sharing approach designed to ensure balance and inclusion across all groups within the party.
The APC chairman also introduced a five-point framework guiding the FCT congresses, focusing on gender inclusion, geopolitical representation, youth participation, indigenous recognition, and equitable distribution of positions between old and new members.
He revealed that a zoning committee led by Minister of Special Duties, Zephaniah Jisalo, had already mapped out positions, adding that the process had been widely accepted without complaints from party members.
Yilwatda further insisted on strict compliance with party rules, including mandatory resignation letters from defectors seeking leadership roles and enforcement of tenure limits for office holders.
Framing inclusion as a strategic necessity rather than a slogan, he argued that diversity across ethnicity, gender, and age strengthens political structures and enhances electoral success.
