The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned political appointees serving under President Bola Tinubu that they cannot remain in government while distancing themselves from partisan politics, insisting that anyone unwilling to mobilise support for the party ahead of the 2027 general election should leave office.
The warning was issued by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, during a meeting with members of the Progressive Local Government Chairmen’s Forum in Abuja on Wednesday.
The delegation, led by the Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Area in Niger State, Dr. Mustafa Jibrin, briefed the party leadership on its grassroots mobilisation plans for the 2027 elections.
Yilwatda said local government chairmen, being closer to the grassroots, are in a better position to identify political appointees who may be performing well in government but failing to deliver politically in their communities.
“Maybe a commissioner is working in the office, but politically he is zero in his ward. The same may apply to a director-general who performs administratively but has no political impact back home,” he said.
The APC chairman stressed that those appointed into political offices cannot claim to be mere technocrats while benefiting from political appointments.
“We call them political appointees. There is a word ‘political’ there. They are not just technocrats. You can’t be holding a political position and then say you are not a politician,” Yilwatda stated.
He argued that anyone who wishes to remain completely detached from politics should reject political appointments altogether.
“If you don’t want to be a politician, don’t take a political appointment. We work to mobilise votes. Without votes, you can’t be in office,” he added.
Yilwatda urged the local government chairmen to report appointees who are not contributing to the party’s mobilisation efforts and identify areas where the APC needs to strengthen its support ahead of the next general election.
He also assured the forum of the party’s full support for its mobilisation activities, including plans to inaugurate state coordinators and organise a mass endorsement rally for President Tinubu.
“We will support you. We will stand by you. We will ensure that we have a strong partnership that will give this party a strong victory in 2027,” he said.
Earlier, the chairman of the Progressive Local Government Chairmen’s Forum, Dr. Mustafa Jibrin, disclosed that the group now has the backing of more than 685 local government chairmen and 31 governors aligned with the APC.
He added that the forum aims to secure at least 70 percent of the votes cast in the 2027 general election for the ruling party.
Jibrin also revealed plans to mobilise all 685 council chairmen and their councillors for a formal endorsement of President Tinubu’s re-election bid on a date to be announced by the APC national chairman.
Source: APC meeting with the Progressive Local Government Chairmen’s Forum.
