APC name humanitarian affairs minister Nentawe Yilwatada as national chairman

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially named Nentawe Yilwatda, the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction, as its new national chairman.

His emergence was announced Thursday at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, where leaders gathered to chart a new direction ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Yilwatda’s appointment was adopted as a “consensus decision” by the NEC — a move party leaders described as both pragmatic and symbolic.

The transition comes following the resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje, who stepped down from the role on June 27. The leadership change also comes as the ruling party positions itself for critical off-cycle governorship elections in Edo, Ondo, and Kogi states.

Hope Uzodinma, governor of Imo state, moved the motion for Yilwatda’s appointment, which was seconded by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the House of Representatives.

Yilwatda, a former governorship candidate in Plateau state and respected academic, has built a reputation as both a policy thinker and a grassroots mobilizer. Party insiders say his calm demeanour and loyalty to party structures make him well-suited for the challenges ahead.

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In party circles, he is widely regarded as a bridge-builder with both technocratic acumen and grassroots appeal.

His emergence is expected to usher in what insiders describe as a quieter but more strategic phase in the APC’s leadership, especially as it looks to consolidate internal cohesion and implement reforms ahead of future elections.