The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has been appointed the new national Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Nentawe, who was nominated in a motion moved by the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, and seconded by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, was appointed at the party’s 14th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on July 24.
The new APC Chairman, previously reported as a leading favourite, was sworn in to resume work immediately.
Nentawe hails from Plateau State in the North Central region of Nigeria. The North Central was initially slated to produce the APC national chairperson position. The Zoning formula was diverted by the emergence of Umar Ganduje, the Former governor of Kano State, as the party’s national Chairman.
Ganduje’s resignation from the position opened the slot again and is now filled by Nentawe’s appointment from the North Central region.
Ganduje’s resignation followed a protest by North Central stakeholders in the party on what they felt was a shortchange of their zone after the exit of Senator Abdulahi Adamu on the occasion of the 2023 elections that brought Tinubu to power.
As Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Nentawe implemented relief programs benefiting over six million Nigerians. He also promoted climate-smart agriculture and supported IDPs with schools and skills programs.
From 2017 to 2021, he was an INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Benue State, driving electoral reforms. In 2023, he was the APC gubernatorial candidate in Plateau State and coordinated the Tinubu/Shettima campaign there.
The Appointment of a National Chairman for the APC follows the appointment of Senator David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition.
The ADC coalition remains the main opposition party as the nation stares towards an interesting Political fireworks in 2027.
