Yilwatda Vows to Make Tough Calls as New APC National Chairman

Newly appointed National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has pledged to make bold and decisive moves in his new role — but with a touch of diplomacy and collaboration.

“The confidence they have in me is to make sure I take tough decisions but with gentility and teamwork for the collective interest of the party,” Yilwatda said during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, shortly after emerging as APC chairman in Abuja.

Comparing his calm demeanor to that of President Bola Tinubu, Yilwatda assured party members that he would not shy away from hard choices. “Of course, I will because that is what the president asked me to do and the members are asking me to do also,” he said.

“Look at the body language of Mr President; soft-talking, calm, gentle, but look at where he is driving the country, taking tough decisions, where people fear to even discuss.”

Yilwatda, who was the party’s 2023 governorship candidate in Plateau State, said his major task was to unite and grow the ruling party. He announced plans to actively woo opposition politicians into the APC fold.

“My job is to unite the party, (and) to expand the party. We have 23 governors and we are still counting. My job is to bring in more. We would do legwork and bring in more,” he said.

The APC chairman also made it clear he intends to lean on the experience of past party leaders like Abdullahi Ganduje, Adams Oshiomhole, Abdullahi Adamu, and Mai Mala Buni to reposition the APC for greater success.

“My immediate priority is that the party is united,” he said, adding that under his watch, the APC would focus on delivering its manifesto in full.

Yilwatda comes to the role with a diverse resume. A registered engineer, former university lecturer at the Federal University of Agriculture in Makurdi, ex-INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, and most recently, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, he said all his past experiences were building blocks for this moment.

“I’m a politician coming in with private sector experience, university experience, administrative experience, election processes experience and now with the political experience to gear the wheel of the party,” he said.

Yilwatda served as a minister under Tinubu from October 2024 until his elevation to APC national chairman on Thursday.