By: Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has issued a stern warning to State Coordinators of the party’s ongoing nationwide electronic membership registration, declaring that any Coordinator who fails to ensure full registration of party members in their state will be removed and replaced.
Yilwatda gave the directive on Monday during a meeting with State Registration Coordinators at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, stressing that the assignment is a core party responsibility, not a ceremonial position.
The electronic membership registration exercise, which covers the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is scheduled to end on January 30, 2026.
According to the APC chairman, all State Organising Secretaries serve as Coordinators of the exercise, except in states where they were not trained.
“For a mass-membership party like the APC, electronic registration is not just a technical upgrade; it is a strategic political reform,” Yilwatda said, adding that the exercise is critical to the party’s credibility, discipline, mobilisation and electoral strength.
He warned bluntly:
“If any Coordinator does not get all members registered in his or her state, we will drop you and appoint another person. The position you occupy is an opportunity to strengthen the party.”
Describing the Coordinators as the “foot soldiers” of the APC, Yilwatda noted that the strength of the party depends largely on the functionality of its structures at the state, local government and ward levels.
He charged State Party Chairmen to cooperate fully with Coordinators to ensure the success of the exercise, insisting that elections are not won from the national secretariat.
“Nobody contests elections at the National Secretariat. Elections are won or lost at the state, senatorial, constituency, local government and ward levels. The performance of the party rests squarely on you,” he stated.
The APC chairman warned against discrepancies where the party claims millions of members but records poor electoral performance, describing such situations as unacceptable.
He disclosed that the National Executive Committee (NEC) has created a conducive environment to ensure the success of the registration and insisted that party structures must begin to reflect real membership strength.
Yilwatda further warned that any State Executive Committee member who fails to register before the January 30 deadline would be removed from office, noting that NEC — the second-highest organ of the party — has the constitutional authority to enforce compliance.
“This registration exercise is not negotiable. This warning must be sounded from the state level down to the ward level,” he said.
He also condemned any sharp practices aimed at excluding members from the registration process.
“No Chairman, no Coordinator, and not even a Governor has the power to stop any party member from being registered. No one must be disenfranchised,” Yilwatda warned.
To avoid delays, the APC chairman directed Coordinators to deploy Android phones where tablets are unavailable, stressing that no state should suspend the exercise while waiting for devices. He also urged states to avoid unnecessary costs, revealing that in his home state, registration officials were recruited from within wards to ease logistics.
Providing an update on the exercise, Yilwatda said Delta State is currently leading the registration drive, followed by Lagos, Kebbi, Adamawa and Plateau States, and urged other states to improve their pace.
He announced that he would review progress again within five days.
Linking the registration to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda, Yilwatda said the APC must embrace modernisation and accountability.
“We need accurate data to support the President. We must be different from all other parties. We cannot make decisions on faulty premises. This registration must succeed,” he declared.
He explained that the electronic registration — the first of its kind by any political party in Nigeria — will provide the APC with a real-time, verifiable membership database, strengthen internal democracy, enhance campaign planning and eliminate fraud.
In their response, State Coordinators commended Yilwatda’s leadership and pledged full commitment to the success of the exercise, assuring him that party structures nationwide would be revitalised ahead of the deadline..
