• Beats Tanko Al-Makura to Clinch Position
By Abiola Olawale
Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, has been appointed the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement, made during the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, marks the end of weeks of speculations following the resignation of the immediate past national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who stepped down in June 2025 citing health concerns.
It was gathered that Yilwatda’s appointment was formalized after a high-level stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday night at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, involving President Bola Tinubu, the APC Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), and key party leaders.
The motion for his election was reportedly moved by Imo State Governor and PGF Chairman, Senator Hope Uzodinma, and seconded by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.
The New Diplomat reports that Yiltwada’s academic credentials, including a PhD in Digital Systems Engineering from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and his experience as a former gubernatorial candidate in Plateau State, were said to have appealed to many.
A technocrat and former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commissioner, Yilwatda, 56, hails from Plateau State in the North Central region.
His selection is seen as a strategic move to restore balance within the party, particularly addressing concerns from North Central stakeholders who felt sidelined after Ganduje’s controversial appointment from the North West.
Party insiders note that Yilwatda’s Christian background also aligns with efforts to counter-balance the Muslim-Muslim ticket of Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, enhancing the APC’s inclusivity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Recall that the new Chairman was chosen over and above a former governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, who was also a contender for the top party role.
