Nigeria’s APC Chairman Advocates Stronger Global Collaboration for National Security
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, is championing the need for enhanced collaboration between Nigeria and its international partners to strengthen democratic institutions, boost national security, and stabilize the economy.
During an interactive session with senior journalists in Lagos, Yilwatda praised the continual support from the global community, emphasizing that Nigeria’s democratic growth has greatly benefited from constructive engagement.
«Democracy is not negotiable, and we are all partners in nurturing and strengthening it. Our collective efforts are essential in ensuring that our democracy evolves as desired,» Yilwatda stated.
Yilwatda also commended Nigeria’s diplomatic response to controversial remarks from former U.S. President Donald Trump, highlighting the importance of principled reactions to external criticism.
Touching on security reforms, he discussed President Bola Tinubu’s actions addressing recommendations from the Ministry of Interior and defense partners, including leadership changes in security agencies.
«We have taken concrete steps such as withdrawing police personnel from VIPs to restore professionalism… This directive is now being strictly enforced,» he added.
Yilwatda mentioned the redeployment of soldiers from checkpoints to confront terrorists directly, allowing the police to manage checkpoint operations.
To enhance military capacity, he noted that Nigeria is deepening security cooperation with several countries, despite the high costs of modern security tools like surveillance drones.
On the economic front, Yilwatda stated that Nigeria was perilously close to a collapse akin to Venezuela’s due to previous administrations’ monetary practices, but reforms are stabilizing key indicators.
He reported improvements, such as a $5 billion increase in foreign reserves and significant GDP growth, which reaffirmed Nigeria’s moving towards a more positive economic outlook.
Highlighting social protection progress, Yilwatda revealed that technological advancements and AI have expanded the national social register, increasing the conditional cash transfer beneficiaries significantly.
Moreover, he mentioned the expansion of health insurance coverage and initiatives aimed at vulnerable citizens, demonstrating the government’s commitment to improving healthcare.
Regarding education, Yilwatda assured that the administration remains focused on increasing access through a new student loan scheme, ensuring financial support without interest or collateral for the poorest Nigerians.
Concluding, Yilwatda reassured stakeholders that despite ongoing challenges, steady progress is being made in security, economy, social protection, healthcare, and education.
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