APC Set To Appoint Nentawe Yilwatda As Acting National Chairman
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is poised to name Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, as its Acting National Chairman. The announcement is expected to be made during the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Thursday in Abuja, according to The Whistler.
This move comes in the wake of Abdullahi Ganduje’s resignation on June 27. Following his exit, the role was temporarily filled by the Deputy National Chairman (North), Ali Bukar Dalori.
Yilwatda now appears likely to assume the position, barring any unexpected changes. Party insiders say the choice reflects not only his credentials but also an effort to honor the APC’s zoning arrangement.
Leaders and stakeholders from the North-Central region have been vocal in demanding the chairmanship return to their zone. The North-Central APC Forum had previously opposed Dalori’s interim leadership, arguing that the role should not remain with the North-East, where Dalori hails from (Borno State), and instead be returned to the North-Central in the interest of equity and regional balance.
Beyond the leadership transition, the NEC is also expected to address broader internal issues affecting party unity.
Yilwatda, born in 1968 in Plateau State, brings a diverse background to the role. He is an engineer, academic, and politician who contested the 2023 Plateau State governorship election under the APC banner. Before his appointment as a minister in President Tinubu’s cabinet in October 2024, he served as the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Benue State and was the ICT director at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, for over a decade.
He also played a key role in the last general election as the Plateau State coordinator for the Tinubu/Shettima campaign. His close alliance with former Plateau governor, now Senator Simon Lalong, helped secure his ministerial nomination.
As the APC navigates this leadership transition, Yilwatda’s potential appointment signals both a strategic political move and a nod to regional inclusivity within the party’s hierarchy.
