The Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva is confident that, despite challenges being experienced by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the party remains the best bet to win the presidency in the next general elections. 

“I don’t see any party in Nigeria today that is stronger than APC,” the Minister said during an interview on Channels Television’s Newsnight which aired on Monday. “Of course, we have our internal problems like every other party. We are still, I believe, the party to beat and I believe in 2023, we will still have the presidency.”

‘A Rallying Point’

The former Bayelsa State governor described President Muhammadu Buhari as a rallying point in the party and the country at large and believes the Nigerian leader makes the APC different from other parties in Africa’s most populous nation.

I don’t see any party in Nigeria today that is stronger than APC… we are still, I believe, the party to beat and I believe in 2023, we will still have the presidency – Minister (State) for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva on autogas policy.#NewsNight#CTVTweets pic.twitter.com/wygB1C7M2I

— Channels Television (@channelstv) February 8, 2021

“The role of President Buhari in the APC is that he is a rallying point. And when you have a rallying figure, you have a way of getting everybody come together at critical times,” the 56-year-old, who on January 31st revalidated his membership of the party, explained. “So, I believe that he would continue to play that role of a rallying figure. Even outside government in APC, he continues to be a rallying figure. That is one major advantage that we have that will give us the presidency in 2023.”

Oil Exploration

He also revealed plans by the Federal Government to begin oil exploration in the northeast.

“I have said it a few times that we have found oil in the northeast and we have started drilling activities in the Lake Chad Basin,” he added.

“I don’t know how the discovery of oil in the area will impact all the issues there but on our side, we believe that in a very short time, we will start production.”