Tinubu’s Minister Turned Party Boss: All You Need To Know About APC’s New National Chairman, Yilwatda Nentawe

Prof. Yilwatda Nentawe, a former ministerial nominee and APC governorship candidate in Plateau State, has been named the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, replacing Abdullahi Ganduje.

Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda has emerged as the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), replacing Abdullahi Ganduje, the former Kano State governor who stepped down citing health reasons.

Yilwatda, a former APC governorship candidate in Plateau State and one-time nominee for Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, now takes the reins of Nigeria’s ruling party — a swift rise from potential cabinet member to party leader.

Born on August 8, 1968, in Dungung, Kanke LGA of Plateau State, Yilwatda is a technocrat, engineer, and politician. He earned a degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering from the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi in 1992, followed by a Master’s in Engineering from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and a PhD in Digital Systems Engineering from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He also trained in e-governance at the United Nations University in Macau, China.

DON’T MISS: Datti Bows Out of 2027 Presidential Race, Says Peter Obi Can Run Without Him

During the 2023 general elections, Yilwatda coordinated the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign in Plateau State and ran for governor under the APC. Though he lost to the PDP candidate, he pursued legal redress but later accepted the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Within the APC, Yilwatda is closely aligned with former Plateau State governor Simon Lalong and was widely tipped for a ministerial role after Lalong moved to the Senate.

Now, as APC’s substantive national chairman, Yilwatda brings technical expertise, political experience, and party loyalty to steer the party’s next phase.