The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Nentawe Yilwatda, has been elected as the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his nomination and endorsement by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

Yilwatda’s nomination was moved by Governor Hope Uzodimma, Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, and seconded by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen. The motion was adopted through a voice vote by NEC members during a meeting held in Abuja on Thursday.

His emergence comes at a time when the APC is working to solidify its political dominance at the national level and in several states where opposition governors have recently defected to the ruling party.

Appointed as minister by President Bola Tinubu in late 2023, Yilwatda was nominated on October 23 and sworn into office on November 4. A native of Plateau State, the 56-year-old politician now assumes leadership of the APC following the resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje in June. Ganduje, who cited personal reasons for stepping down, had served as APC chairman since August 2023, after taking over from Abdullahi Adamu.

After Ganduje’s departure, Ali Dalori, the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), was appointed to oversee APC affairs in an acting capacity.

Ganduje, a former governor of Kano State (2015–2023), was appointed in January 2025 by President Tinubu as Chairman of the Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

Yilwatda’s elevation signals a renewed push by the APC to strengthen internal cohesion and prepare for future electoral contests across the country.