The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has said more than 10 million Nigerians who benefited from the Federal Government’s N75,000 conditional cash transfer programme do not have access to mobile phones or social media.
Yilwatda made the statement on Saturday after the conclusion of a three-day retreat of the APC National Executive Council in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The APC chairman said the beneficiaries were among the poor and vulnerable Nigerians reached through the government’s conditional cash transfer programme under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
According to him, the people who received the payments are largely absent from the digital spaces where government policies are regularly discussed and criticised.
He said many of them do not have mobile phones, television sets, or access to social media platforms.
As a result, he argued that their experiences and views may not be reflected in public debates taking place online.
“We have given 75,000 naira to over 10 million Nigerians across the country using the conditional cash transfer under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
“Mind you, these people who are poor and vulnerable don’t have telephones to make calls; they are not on social media. They don’t have a television. They cannot come and challenge and discuss as we are doing here, but they are out there,” he said.
Yilwatda made the comments while highlighting what he described as some of the programmes and projects carried out by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The APC chairman linked the cash transfer intervention to the government’s broader social and economic policies following the removal of the petrol subsidy.
He also mentioned road construction, student loans and other infrastructure projects as areas where he said the administration had continued to commit resources.
“We are constructing roads and paying people that are working on the road site, and construction is going across the country,” he said.
Earlier this month, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, asked President Tinubu to investigate alleged financial irregularities involving more than N78.8 billion in cash transfer and social protection programmes.
The organisation based its demand on findings contained in the 2024 Annual Report of the Auditor-General of the Federation and called for greater accountability over funds meant for poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
Another related report published by Politics Nigeria also quoted human rights lawyer Femi Falana as asking the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate allegations surrounding N33.75 billion earmarked for cash transfers.
Those allegations concern the administration and documentation of funds and should not be confused with Yilwatda’s separate claim about the number of beneficiaries.
Yilwatda also used his appearance in Maiduguri to defend the Tinubu administration’s decision to remove the petrol subsidy.
He took issue with former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over proposals relating to the subsidy.
The APC chairman argued that returning to the previous subsidy arrangement could affect the resources available to governments and ongoing projects.
“Over 30 states could not pay salaries and pensions. After we removed subsidies, all states can pay salaries and pensions, and no state is left behind.
“Today, if you return it, you are saying states shouldn’t pay salaries again. And what suffering are you bringing to Nigeria?”
He further argued that reversing the policy would have consequences for some of the programmes being implemented by the federal government.
According to him, student loans and major infrastructure projects could also be affected if the government returned to the previous subsidy arrangement.
“The projects we’re doing across the country, like the coastal road and gas project to the north, which have passed Abuja, which are aimed at easing the suffering of Nigerians, will be suspended,” he said.
Yilwatda’s remarks came as the APC continued preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The three-day retreat in Maiduguri focused not only on government policies but also on the organisation and readiness of the ruling party at different levels.
The APC national chairman said the party reviewed its activities from the national level down to state, local government, ward and polling-unit structures.
He said the review showed that the party remained prepared for the next general election.
The party also resolved to strengthen reconciliation efforts in areas where disagreements exist among its members.
According to Yilwatda, state chapters would be encouraged to establish reconciliation committees where necessary.
The move is intended to address internal disputes and improve coordination as the party approaches the 2027 election season.
At the conclusion of the retreat, the APC leadership passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and other candidates who emerged from the party’s primaries for the 2027 elections.
Politics Nigeria reported that the retreat ended with the party declaring its readiness for the forthcoming election and resolving to intensify reconciliation efforts across its structures.
The party also resolved that its National Working Committee should take a more active role in its campaign activities and engagements ahead of the elections.
