Yilwatda emerges APC national chairman in consensus decision after Ganduje's resignation

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has elected Nentawe Yilwatda, minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction, as its new national chairman following a consensus agreement reached at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday, July 24.

Yilwatda’s selection was announced at the NEC meeting, which was attended by key party stakeholders intent on charting a unified direction ahead of the 2027 general elections.

His emergence follows the formal resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje from the position on 27 June. Party leaders described the move as both strategic and unifying.

“It was a consensus decision, reflecting a shared desire to strengthen the APC from within and prepare robustly for upcoming electoral battles,” said a senior party official present at the meeting.

Yilwatda, who is now transitioning from a federal ministerial role to the apex leadership of Nigeria’s ruling party, is widely regarded as a technocrat with strong grassroots credibility.

Party insiders believe his blend of policy experience and field-level engagement could provide the cohesion the APC urgently needs, particularly in the run-up to the off-cycle governorship elections in Edo, Ondo, and Kogi states.

“This is a bridge-builder the party can rally around. He brings fresh energy and the organisational discipline necessary to lead us into 2027 with confidence,” said another NEC member.

Yilwatda’s elevation marks a significant moment for the APC as it attempts to balance internal restructuring with external electoral challenges.

Observers say his dual identity, as a minister with national reach and a politician with grassroots sensitivity, positions him to manage competing party interests while reconnecting the APC with its broader support base.

The party is expected to unveil its new strategic framework under Yilwatda’s leadership in the coming weeks.