The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has apologised to aspirants and party members who felt aggrieved by the conduct of the party’s primaries in Oyo State.

Yilwatda said the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) was taking responsibility for the outcome of the exercise, stressing that the committee that conducted the primaries was constituted by the national leadership and acted on its behalf.

The APC national chairman spoke on Thursday in Ibadan during the launch of the party’s governorship campaign office in the state.

He appealed to members who felt hurt, excluded, injured or otherwise disadvantaged during the primaries to forgive the party and work together to strengthen the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to him, the responsibility for any shortcomings during the primaries extended beyond Oyo State, as the committees involved were representatives of the national leadership.

“This is not for Oyo State alone. Anywhere anybody made a mistake in a state, it is our mistake because the committee was set up by us and they are representing us,” Yilwatda said.

“If anybody is hurt, if anybody is injured, if anybody is prevented or excluded in any form or the other, we take responsibility. On TV, before Nigerians, we take responsibility of all that has happened. I appeal to everybody that we are sorry.”

Yilwatda urged aggrieved members across polling units, wards and local government areas to consider the disputes as an internal family matter and prioritise reconciliation and unity.

He also assured party members that the national leadership was paying particular attention to Oyo State because of its strategic importance and substantial voting population, which he noted was second only to Lagos State.

Meanwhile, the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, commended Yilwatda for responding swiftly to concerns raised by the party’s governorship aspirants and stakeholders.

Alli expressed appreciation to the national chairman for honouring his invitation to meet with the aspirants and other stakeholders, saying the progress recorded within two days exceeded what the stakeholders had been able to achieve on their own.

“We cannot thank you enough for what you have come to do. What you have achieved successfully in two days, we have not been able to accomplish,” Alli said.

He assured Yilwatda that the Oyo State chapter would continue to work with the national leadership and do everything necessary to strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 elections.