By Ikpommwosa Odigie
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Nentawe Yilwatda, has been elected as the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), following his nomination and unanimous endorsement by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on Thursday in Abuja.
His nomination was put forward by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Governor Hope Uzodimma, and seconded by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen. NEC members ratified the motion via a voice vote.
Yilwatda, 56, from Plateau State, replaces Abdullahi Ganduje, who resigned in June to attend to “urgent personal matters.” The APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, had confirmed Ganduje’s resignation, noting the former governor’s appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for the opportunity to lead the party.
Before his election as party chairman, Yilwatda was appointed Minister by President Tinubu in October 2023 and sworn in the following month. He now takes the helm of the APC at a time the ruling party is seeking to deepen its influence nationwide, especially following recent high-profile defections from opposition parties.
After Ganduje’s exit, the APC had temporarily installed Deputy National Chairman (North), Ali Dalori, to oversee party affairs.
Ganduje became APC chairman in August 2023 after the resignation of another former governor, Abdullahi Adamu. Earlier this year, he was also appointed Chairman of the Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
