APC Chairman Warns State Coordinators: Complete Membership Registration or Face Replacement
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has issued a firm warning to state coordinators overseeing the party’s nationwide electronic membership registration, insisting that every member must be captured or risk being removed from office.
Professor Yilwatda gave the directive during a meeting with State Registration Coordinators at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja. He stressed that the coordination role is a serious responsibility, not a ceremonial appointment, and is central to strengthening the party’s structure nationwide.
He explained that State Organising Secretaries serve as coordinators for the exercise, except in cases where any was not trained for the task. The electronic registration exercise, which began nationwide, is expected to conclude on January 30, 2026.
According to the APC chairman, adopting electronic registration goes beyond technology, describing it as a strategic reform aimed at boosting credibility, mobilisation, discipline and electoral performance within the party.
“If a coordinator fails to ensure that all members in his or her state are registered, that person will be replaced. This position is an opportunity to build and improve the party,” Yilwatda warned.
He reminded the coordinators that strong and functional party structures at the state and grassroots levels are essential to the overall strength of the APC, adding that elections are won or lost at the ward, local government, constituency and state levels—not at the national secretariat.
The chairman also called on state party chairmen to give full cooperation to coordinators to guarantee a smooth and successful exercise. He cautioned against situations where states claim huge party membership figures but record poor electoral performance, describing such inconsistencies as unacceptable.
Professor Yilwatda disclosed that the National Executive Committee (NEC) has empowered party structures to enforce compliance, warning that any State Executive Committee member who fails to register before the January 30 deadline would be removed from office.
He further condemned any attempt to obstruct or exclude members from the registration process, stressing that no individual—whether chairman, coordinator or governor—has the authority to prevent any APC member from being registered.
To avoid delays, the APC chairman directed coordinators to use Android phones where tablets are unavailable, noting that states should not suspend the exercise due to logistics. He also urged them to minimize costs to state governments, citing his own state where registration officials were recruited from within local wards to ease logistics.
Providing an update on the exercise, Yilwatda revealed that Delta State is currently leading in registrations, followed by Lagos, Kebbi, Adamawa and Plateau States, and encouraged other states to step up their efforts. He announced plans to review progress again within five days.
Linking the exercise to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda, the chairman said the APC must embrace modernization and accountability through accurate and reliable data.
“This registration must succeed. We need credible data to support the President and to make informed decisions. The APC must set the standard for other parties,” he said.
He added that the electronic registration—the first by any political party in Nigeria—will provide a verifiable, real-time membership database, strengthen internal democracy, improve campaign planning, curb fraud and ensure efficient use of party resources.
In their response, the state coordinators praised Professor Yilwatda’s leadership and pledged their full commitment to the success of the exercise, assuring him that party structures would be fully revitalized ahead of the deadline.
