No FG Appointments for Non-Members in 2027, APC Chairman Nentawe Vows

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared that political appointments under the federal government after the 2027 general elections will be reserved strictly for members of the ruling party.

Nentawe made the statement on Tuesday night in Abuja during a North-West mobilisation event titled *“Renewed Hope Promise Kept 2027: Meet and Greet”*, organised by the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo. He said governance is a political process and that individuals appointed into government must be active participants in the party that secured electoral victory.

According to him, elections are won through votes and political mobilisation, not professional credentials, arguing that anyone given a political appointment automatically becomes a politician.

“There is no vote called technocrats. Once you are given a political appointment, you are a politician,” Nentawe said, adding that professionals unwilling to engage in party activities should function as consultants rather than seek government appointments.

A video of the remarks circulated widely on social media on Wednesday, drawing mixed reactions from party members, analysts, and civil society groups. While some APC supporters praised the position as a way of rewarding loyalty and strengthening party structure, critics warned that it could undermine merit-based governance.

The APC chairman insisted that political appointees must be visible at the grassroots, defend government policies, and actively support party mobilisation, warning that the party could lose power if appointees detached themselves from politics.

“If all appointees decide to become technocrats, the party will never return to power,” he said.

He described the North-West as a critical pillar of the APC’s electoral strength, noting that the region accounts for about 20 per cent of the party’s registered members nationwide. He added that 48 per cent of members in the region are aged between 18 and 35, describing youths as the backbone of the party’s future.

Special Adviser on Policy Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala-Usman, said the North-West delivered the highest number of votes for the APC in the 2023 elections and must remain united ahead of 2027.

“Nobody should work to win elections while others collect appointments and hide behind being technocrats,” she said, stressing that political appointments come with political obligations.

Political observers say the position, if implemented, could affect several senior officials appointed largely on professional expertise rather than party affiliation, raising concerns about continuity and institutional capacity in key ministries and agencies.

Analysts also warn that restricting appointments to party loyalists could sideline capable professionals and deepen patronage politics. They argue that while the approach may strengthen party discipline, it risks weakening governance by placing loyalty above competence.