By Peter Dansu Barring any last minutes change, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has reportedly settled for Professor Nentawe Yil...
By Peter Dansu
Barring any last minutes change, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has reportedly settled for Professor Nentawe Yilwatda as its National Chairman, marking a fresh chapter in the party’s leadership. The 56-year-old technocrat and politician was chosen through consensus and backed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu alongside APC governors during a high-level meeting held late Monday night in Abuja an emerging report according to Premium Times has said
Professor Yilwatda’s emergence comes following the resignation of former chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who stepped down due to health reasons. His nomination is expected to be ratified by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) later today.
A native of Plateau State, Yilwatda was the APC governorship candidate in the 2023 elections in the state and currently serves as Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs. His selection is in line with the party’s zoning formula, which allocated the national chairmanship to the North-Central region, comprising Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kwara, and Niger states.
Beyond zoning, party insiders say Yilwatda’s Christian faith also factored into the decision. With both President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima being Muslims, the appointment of a Christian chairman is seen as a move to promote religious balance and national inclusivity within the party.
“He represents a refreshing break from the past,” a senior APC official said. “He’s young, intelligent, and comes without the usual political baggage. We believe he can restore credibility and bring new energy to the party.”
Professor Yilwatda brings a wealth of experience from the academic, bureaucratic, and political spheres. A former engineering lecturer at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, he served as a Resident Electoral Commissioner with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from 2017 to 2021. During his time at INEC, he supervised elections in five key states—Benue, Anambra, Osun, Rivers, and Cross River.
After resigning from INEC in late 2021, he returned to Plateau and joined active politics, quickly rising through the ranks of the APC. Although he lost the governorship election in 2023, his competence and loyalty earned him a ministerial appointment from President Tinubu.
With his new role as APC chairman, the party hopes to refocus and rebrand amid growing public scrutiny and internal wrangling. Insiders say Yilwatda’s emergence signals a strategic shift aimed at positioning the APC for stronger performance in future elections.
As he takes the reins, Professor Yilwatda is expected to rally party members, rebuild trust, and drive a new narrative of competence, inclusion, and unity across the nation.
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