By Muhammad Mamman
Nentawe Yilwatda, a distinguished professor and former electoral commissioner, has assumed the role of national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), pledging to bolster the party’s ranks and secure a landslide win in the 2027 Nigerian general elections.
Speaking to the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja on Thursday, Yilwatda outlined his vision for a stronger, tech-savvy, and transparent party, ready to welcome new members from rival factions.
Elected unopposed at the APC’s 14th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in the Presidential Villa’s Banquet Hall, Yilwatda succeeds Abdullahi Ganduje, who stepped down on 27 June 2025 due to health concerns, following a brief stint by acting chairman Ali Dalori.
Nominated by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma and seconded by House Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Yilwatda brings a robust background as a registered engineer and former APC governorship candidate for Plateau State in 2023.
Born in 1968 in Dungung, Plateau State, he previously served as a Resident Electoral Commissioner for INEC in Benue State and was appointed minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation in 2024.
Expressing gratitude for the trust placed in him, Yilwatda described his new role as both a privilege and a formidable responsibility.
“Our doors are wide open to governors, lawmakers, and opposition members,” he declared, confidently asserting that “2027 is in the bag for the APC.” With widespread support from Nigerians at home and abroad, he aims to leverage technology and transparency to cement the APC’s dominance.
