Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, has charged the newly elected national chairman of the party, Nentawe Yilwatda, to deliver victories in the upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti, and Osun.

Speaking in Osogbo on Sunday, Oyintiloye said the three elections, which will come ahead of the 2027 general polls, are critical and must be won to maintain momentum for the party.

“The off-cycle governorship elections must not be treated lightly. They are a must-win for the party, and Prof Yilwatda must bring his experience and energy to the task,” he said.

Describing Yilwatda as a man of character and integrity, Oyintiloye urged him to consolidate on the work of his predecessor by attracting more opposition leaders into the APC.

“Follow your predecessor’s lead and encourage more opposition leaders to join the APC for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election,” he said.

“I know you would achieve success in the upcoming polls by working with the State chapters to design strategies that will be good for peculiar situations to achieve success.

“This will assist the party in achieving the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of the president. The new national chairman, is coming in with a lot of experience and with fresh vigor, needs to drive our party into the 2027 general elections for sweet victory.

According to him, the emergence of Yilwatda is an indication that APC has eggheads with the right approach and ready-made responses to different situations.

“The manner in which he emerged was an indication that we are bright people who can effectively manage our affairs as a party in power,” he said.

“The professor has a serious job on his hands, and I am sure he is aware of this. Off-cycle elections in Anambra, Ekiti, and Osun States are around the corner before the 2027 general elections.

“Leadership of the party at the state level must have firsthand information and be fully involved in the planning and execution of strategies, as the three state elections must be won, and that tempo must be sustained going into the 2027 polls.”

Oyintiloye also called on Yilwatda to strengthen the party’s coordination with the federal government and work with state chapters to mobilise support for President Tinubu’s policies.

He warned against internal frictions, advising the party to protect long-standing members as new defectors are welcomed.