APC says 13 million members, 31 governors give it edge for 2027
- APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda told ECOWAS its party has 13 million registered members.
- He said APC controls 31 of 36 governorships, 88 Senate seats and 208 House seats.
- Yilwatda urged INEC to stick to its timetable for the 2027 elections.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) says its 13 million registered members and control of key elected offices give it a strong advantage ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Party National Chairman Prof Nentawe Yilwatda said this in Abuja on Saturday while receiving a pre-election fact-finding team from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), led by former Sierra Leone Vice-President Victor Bockarie Foh.
According to a statement on Sunday by his media aide, Abimbola Tooki, Yilwatda said the APC has about 13 million members across all local government areas, with records linked to National Identification Numbers and voter details for verification.
He also said the party has more than 261,000 executive members from ward to national level, and that more than 7,000 aspirants contested for its tickets ahead of 2027.
What the numbers mean for 2027
The chairman said the APC controls 31 of 36 governorships, 88 of 109 Senate seats and 208 of 360 House of Representatives seats. He argued that no other party comes close to its structure and reach.
Yilwatda said the party has inaugurated its campaign council, started campaign activities and uploaded its candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal.
He called on INEC to follow its published timetable strictly, saying rules must apply equally to all parties. “The rules must apply equally to every political party,” he said, according to the statement.
He also assured ECOWAS that the APC would not use its numerical strength to suppress opposition parties.
For ordinary Nigerians, the party’s size matters because it shapes how campaigns are run and how resources are shared. A large membership database could help the party mobilise supporters, but it also raises questions about how those members are verified.
INEC has fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections.
What happens next
The ECOWAS team said it is assessing Nigeria’s political environment ahead of the polls, using observation and verified data. Its findings could influence how regional observers judge the 2027 elections.
For now, the APC’s claims are its own. Other parties have not responded in these reports, and the actual strength of its membership will be tested at the ballot.
