Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Minister, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has emerged the new National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). His election followed the adoption of a motion moved by the Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma, seconded by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas at the ongoing emergency NEC meeting of the party.
Yilwatda, a Christian from Plateau state (North Central), replaced Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, who resigned as APC national chairman last month.
The National Executive Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has named the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Yilwatda Nentawe, as substantive National Chairman of the party.
His election followed the adoption of a motion moved by the Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma during the 14th meeting of the Committee held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, on Thursday.
The motion was seconded by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen.
The minister was immediately sworn in thereafter.
Nentawe took the oath of office in the presence of party bigwigs during the NEC meeting.
He replaced Abdullahi Ganduje, the former Kano State governor, who stepped down citing health issues.
Yilwatda, a former APC governorship candidate in Plateau State, is a technocrat and politician with roots in engineering, governance reform, and party politics.
Born on August 8, 1968, in Dungung, Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State, he attended the Gindiri Boys Secondary School after which he went to study Electrical/Electronic Engineering at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, graduating in 1992.
He went on to obtain a Master’s in Engineering from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and a PhD from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, with a specialisation in Digital Systems Engineering.
Yilwatda has international training in e-governance from the United Nations University in Macau, China.
During the 2023 general elections, he served as the coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign in Plateau state.
After losing the election to the PDP, Yilwatda challenged the outcome in court but later accepted the Supreme Court’s decision in favour of the PDP.
Within the APC, Yilwatda maintains a strong alliance with former Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong.
Yilwatda, humanitarian affairs minister, emerges APC national chairman
