Speaking on Monday during a live interview on Arise News, Yilwatda addressed deep-seated anxieties that the party’s heavy reliance on consensus arrangements might trigger an uncontrollable internal crisis ahead of the general elections.

The APC Chairman broke down the metrics of the shadow polls, revealing that out of the 29 states where governorship tickets were fiercely contested by incumbent governors and fresh aspirants, an overwhelming majority went down to the wire via direct voting.

“Across the 36 states, we had 29 governorship contests featuring both returning governors and fresh aspirants. Out of these, only three governorship candidates emerged through the consensus mechanism,” Yilwatda clarified. “Every single one of the remaining states went through rigorous direct primaries. There were absolutely no impositions because wherever we intervened, we ensured the rule of law took its full course.”

The Consensus Security Check: No Signature, No Deal

Explaining the stringent measures introduced by the national leadership to prevent powerful political godfathers from highjacking tickets, Yilwatda revealed that the party instituted a mandatory legal document for all consensus agreements.

Under this new policy, a consensus arrangement is rendered legally dead if even a single contender refuses to endorse it.

“Where a genuine consensus cannot be reached organically, the fallback option is always direct primaries,” the Chairman noted. “We specifically created a consensus sign-off form. This legal document requires every single aspirant contesting in that state to physically sign and agree before any consensus candidate is formally ratified by the party. Without unanimous signatures, it doesn’t stand.”

Why Some State Elections Were Delayed

Yilwatda also shed light on why the national working committee deliberately put the brakes on primaries in specific states, explaining that the delays were strategic moves to preserve the party’s internal cohesion and address complaints of foul play.

Rather than forcing the exercise through amid high tensions, the APC leadership preferred to hit the pause button to investigate petition claims.

“We had instances where aspirants appealed to the national headquarters over alleged anomalies. That is why we delayed some elections by two to three days. We deliberately shifted those dates to address concerns of foul play and ensure a level playing field before any votes were cast,” he explained.

To wrap up the peaceful resolution of internal friction, the Chairman assured party faithful that robust appeal panels remain active across the country, giving every aggrieved aspirant the legitimate platform to legally challenge any part of the electoral process.

Appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday evening, Yilwatda maintained that Governor Fubara’s decision to pull out of the race was entirely personal and voluntary, emphasizing that the party strictly adhered to democratic guidelines and due process from start to finish.

According to the party boss, Fubara had successfully navigated all preliminary stages of the election before making his unexpected exit.

“He pulled out; he stepped down. It is a decision that is entirely personal to him. He purchased the expression of interest and nomination forms, presented himself for screening, passed the screening cleanly, and we were fully prepared for the primaries before he opted to step down,” Yilwatda clarified.

“Wike Belongs to the PDP” — APC Boss Dismisses Interference Claims

The national chairman flatly debunked widespread speculation that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, manipulated the logistics or influenced the outcome of the Rivers APC primary to block Fubara from securing the ticket.

Brushing off questions about Wike’s alleged backdoor control of the state’s opposition structure, Yilwatda stated simply:

“Wike is not a member of our party. He belongs to the PDP.”

Strict Financial Rules Behind Aspirant Disqualifications

Addressing the controversies surrounding the disqualification of several other aspirants during the screening exercise, Yilwatda emphasized that the APC national working committee will never compromise on constitutional guidelines. He revealed that multiple contestants failed the basic criteria of financial compliance.

“Our party guidelines are crystal clear: before you are certified eligible to contest for any position, you must be a financially up-to-date member of the party. The APC constitution mandates that you must provide undeniable evidence of paying your membership dues before you can vote, be voted for, or be nominated,” he explained.

“If an individual has not cleared their dues and lacks proof of being a financial member, they stand automatically disqualified. You must first be a dedicated member of the APC.”

On Chinda’s Defection and Gaining the Governorship Ticket

When questioned about the legality and eligibility of Hon. Kingsley Chinda—a prominent House of Representatives member and former Minority Leader in the lower chamber—who successfully defected and clinched the Rivers APC governorship ticket, Yilwatda defended the process, clarifying the party’s stance on new entrants.

“He officially defected to our fold. Our party operates without a complex waiver system. Even if you cross over to the APC today, you are immediately entitled to enjoy equal rights and privileges with every founding member, provided you have been properly and legally registered at your ward level,” Yilwatda concluded.