The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Nentawe Yilwatda, has said President Bola Tinubu remains his political mentor, describing the Nigerian leader as one of the finest politicians the country has ever produced.
Mr Yilwatda made the remark on Saturday while speaking at a traditional ceremony in Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State, where he was conferred with the chieftaincy title of “Kaeh-rit.”
According to the APC chairman, President Tinubu’s experience, leadership style and political sagacity have continued to shape his own growth within the political space.
“I’m learning from the best leader, Asiwaju Tinubu. Mr President is one of the best politicians you can learn from,” Mr Yilwatda said.
“Since adopting me as his son, I’ve learned so much from him. He is teaching me, and so I’m learning. If you see me succeeding, it’s because I’m learning from the very best politician ever produced in Nigeria.
“So why not? I will work towards achieving what he has done also, being one of the best politicians in Nigeria,” he added.
N10m donation, farm inputs for Plateau farmers
During the event, Mr Yilwatda announced a donation of ₦10 million, alongside seedlings and other farm inputs, to farmers in Kanke Local Government Area.
He said the intervention was aimed at boosting food production and improving livelihoods, in line with President Tinubu’s renewed drive to enhance food security and reduce poverty across the country.
The APC chairman noted that empowering local farmers remained critical to achieving sustainable economic growth, especially at the grassroots level.
Optimism over Plateau APC alignment
Mr Yilwatda also expressed optimism over the recent defection of Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, to the APC, saying the move would position the state to benefit from better coordination between party and government structures.
According to him, alignment between the federal, state and local government levels under one political platform would ensure more effective governance and accelerated development for the people of Plateau State.
APC is inclusive, Yilwatda insists
Reiterating the APC’s inclusive philosophy, Mr Yilwatda stressed that all party members enjoy equal rights, regardless of when they joined.
“The person that comes into the APC today has equal rights with someone who has been there for a thousand years, because we do not differentiate among our members,” he said.
He dismissed claims by some political parties that long-standing members enjoy special privileges, insisting such practices have no place in the APC.
“Some people claim that when you go to a party, they will say they are the original owners because they have been there for many years. We don’t have that in APC,” he said.
Mr Yilwatda added that as political leaders and their supporters join the party, unity and collective purpose would be prioritised.
“As a government steps in with its supporters, we will have one single family that will work together for the benefit of Plateau,” he said.
“The essence of this is that the national and local government structures will align so that all our systems, from the national level down to the grassroots, are structured for the benefit of the people of Plateau.”
