Dennis Udoma
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, as the new National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC).
This development has put to rest speculations over who will replace the immediate past national chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who resigned from the position recently on an alleged health grounds.
The outgone APC Chairman was immediately replaced with the National Vice Chairman, Northeast, Ai Bukar Dalori for a few weeks before Prof. Nentawe Yiwaltda as the new Chairman of the ruling national party.
A member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), who disclosed that Yilwatda’s appointment is based on the decision of the party leaders to ensure that a democrat takes over the affairs of the party instead of the hitherto regular politicians, who have superintended over the party previously said, his is appointment came ahead of today’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ruling party, during the stakeholders’ meeting involving President Bola Tinubu, the APC Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), among others at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa yesterday (Wednesday) night.
The source said, the new national chairman’s appointment was based on his choice as a Christian, according to the resolve of party leaders to correct the religious imbalance in the hierarchy of the party’s national positions, describing it as strategic.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Prof. Yilwatda last year was the 2023 APC governorship candidate in Plateau State during the general elections.
Born on August 8, 1968, in Dungung, Kanke LG, to the family of a clergy, Late Rev. and Toma Yilwatda, he came with huge administrative and electoral experiences.
He was appointed in 2017 as a Commissioner with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and posted to Benue State as the Resident Electoral Commissioner.
As a registered Engineer with Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, member of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, member of the Solar Society of Nigeria, he came as a professional after an intense networking.
The APC (NEC) meeting expected to hold on July 24, will ratify the appointment, as the new leadership will provide a clear guidance on the progressive pathway of the party.
