Yilwatda Breaks Silence on Claims APC Shields Members From Prosecution
- APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda pushed back against claims that the ruling party protects members who are facing legal action
- Yilwatda made the remarks during a Channels Television interview on Sunday, October 11, 2026
- The APC chairman acknowledged that some party members are currently appearing in court but declined to name them
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, has denied that the ruling party shields members from legal prosecution, insisting that several members of his party are already standing trial in court.
Yilwatda made his position clear during an appearance on Channels Television on Sunday, October 11, 2026, monitored by Legit.ng, responding to widespread allegations that politicians facing criminal or civil charges could avoid accountability by aligning themselves with the ruling party.
Source: Twitter
Yilwatda said:
"Nobody is protected (in the APC party). I don't want to mention names, but I know members of our party (APC) who are undergoing prosecution, who appear in court every day."
APC on members' fundamental rights
Beyond dismissing the protection claims, the APC chairman argued that the party had no intention of using legal proceedings as grounds to strip its members of their basic rights.
"As APC members, we can't use strict prosecution to go ahead and deny people their fundamental human rights," he said.
Yilwatda drew a distinction between holding party members accountable under the law and protecting their rights as citizens, arguing that both could coexist regardless of a member's legal situation.
He did not identify any of the APC members he said were currently undergoing prosecution or provide further details about the cases he referenced.
Source: Facebook
Allegations by critics against APC
The remarks addressed a long-standing perception in Nigerian political circles that membership of the APC carries informal protection from prosecution, particularly for high-profile individuals. Critics have argued that defections to the ruling party have, in some instances, coincided with the stalling or dropping of legal cases against the individuals concerned.
Plateau-born Yilwatda did not directly address those specific allegations but maintained that the party's position was that no member is above the law or entitled to special legal cover by virtue of their APC membership.
Watch the APC chairman's video via the X post below:
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Yilwatda tips Tinubu for victory
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Yilwatda said internal party polls put President Bola Tinubu ahead of all competitors ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The APC national chairman said the ruling party was not rattled by the opposition, naming the African Democratic Congress (ADC), linked to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), associated with former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, as the two main challengers. He argued that neither party had demonstrated the ability to win elections in the lead-up to 2027, which he said worked in the APC's favour.
Source: Legit.ng
