THE Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Nentawe Yilwatda, has emerged as the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his nomination and election by the members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
News Point Nigeria reports that the chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Governor Hope Uzodimma, nominated him for the position, and the motion was seconded by the speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen.
The motion was then put to a voice vote and passed by NEC members present at the meeting at Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa on Thursday.
His emergence confirms an earlier report published by News Point Nigeria, which cited senior APC sources tipping the Plateau-born technocrat as the front-runner for the party’s top job.
Party insiders told this newspaper that zoning the chairmanship back to the North Central region where it originally belonged before Ganduje’s mid-term appointment was a deliberate move to placate aggrieved blocs and reflect religious and regional balance, particularly under the party’s Muslim-Muslim presidency.
Yilwatda, an engineer by training, is a former gubernatorial candidate in Plateau State and is widely regarded for his technocratic experience and grassroots appeal.
According to our source, his appointment is designed to enhance internal party cohesion, prepare for the 2027 general elections, and address rising opposition efforts to form new political coalitions.
His emergence is being interpreted as part of a broader party strategy to:reunite APC stakeholders in the North Central, present a diverse leadership mix to Nigerians, improve the APC’s standing with Christian voters and prepare for wider youth and inclusion reforms within the party
Though the National Caucus meeting was skipped for logistical reasons, today’s NEC meeting had expanded participation, drawing key leaders including President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and several governors.
With the 2027 elections on the horizon, Yilwatda’s chairmanship is expected to usher in party restructuring, electoral planning, and grassroots mobilisation to strengthen APC’s base across all six geopolitical zones.
Further details and reactions from party stakeholders are expected in the coming hours.
See link for earlier report below:
Tinubu, Shettima, Osinbajo Set For APC NEC As Nentawe Leads Chairmanship Race
Tinubu, Shettima, Osinbajo Set For APC NEC As Nentawe Leads Chairmanship Race
