By Attah Ede
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Prof Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has been appointed as the new National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
His emergence has completely put to rest the intense speculations over who replaces the immediate past national chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who resigned from the position on health grounds.
Yilwatda, was elected following the adoption of a motion which was move by the Chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
The motion was seconded by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas at the ongoing emergency NEC meeting of the party.
Following the adoption of the motion through a voice vote, Yilwatda was officially confirmed as the new chairman of the ruling party.
Details of his agenda and next steps for the party are expected in subsequent updates.
A member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in a chat with journalists in Abuja, attributed the Minister’s appointment to the decision of the party leaders to ensure that a democrat takes over the affairs of the party instead of the hitherto regular politicians that have superintended over the party previously.
The NWC source also hinged on the fact that they needed a Christian to correct the religious imbalance in the hierarchy of the party’s national positions, describing it as strategic.
Prof. Yilwatda who was appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs last year, was the APC Plateau governorship candidate in the 2023 general elections.
Born on August 8, 1968 in Dungung, Kanke LG to the family of a clergy, Late Rev and Mrs 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 Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, member Nigeria Society of Engineers, member Solar Society of Nigeria, he came as a professional after an intense networking.
