The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has apologised to aggrieved party members in Oyo State over grievances arising from the party’s recent internal primaries, accepting responsibility on behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC).
Yilwatda made the apology in Ibadan on Thursday during the inauguration of the APC campaign office, where he appealed to dissatisfied members to put the disputes behind them, reconcile with the party and work together ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The APC chairman acknowledged that the committees responsible for conducting the primaries were constituted by the party’s national leadership, making the NWC accountable for any shortcomings or perceived injustices recorded during the process.
He said the national leadership was prepared to accept responsibility wherever members felt excluded, injured or unfairly treated, describing the situation as an internal family matter that should be resolved through reconciliation.
Yilwatda also appealed to APC members at the polling-unit, ward and local-government levels to remain committed to the party, stressing that disagreements within the organisation should not be allowed to undermine its broader political objectives.
He described Oyo as strategically important to the APC because of its large electorate, noting that the state has one of the biggest voting populations in the country, second only to Lagos.
The chairman’s intervention comes as the APC intensifies efforts to consolidate its structure in Oyo ahead of the 2027 elections and close ranks among members following tensions surrounding the party’s internal processes.
The APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, commended Yilwatda for personally engaging with the state’s governorship aspirants and other stakeholders.
Alli said the national chairman had moved quickly to address concerns raised by stakeholders and had fulfilled commitments made during his earlier engagement with the party’s aspirants.
He expressed appreciation for the national leadership’s intervention, describing the developments recorded within two days as significant progress for the Oyo APC.
Alli subsequently assured the national chairman that the party’s leadership and members in Oyo State would continue to work together and take all necessary steps to strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
