The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday turned a fresh page in its leadership journey as the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) officially ratified Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda as its new National Chairman — a decision widely seen as both strategic and symbolic.
Inside the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the atmosphere was one of quiet calculation and consensus. Governors, state party chairmen, and key stakeholders aligned behind Yilwatda’s candidacy, marking the end of intense behind-the-scenes consultations and the beginning of what many insiders are calling a “tech-forward” chapter for the ruling party.
Moments after the NEC’s endorsement, Yilwatda took the oath of office, administered by legal practitioner Oghenovo O. Otemu, sealing his place at the helm of Africa’s largest political party.
Yilwatda, a professor of Artificial Intelligence and former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, may be relatively new to the frontline of partisan leadership, but he is no stranger to Nigerian politics. In 2023, he flew the APC flag in the Plateau State governorship race. Though he didn’t clinch the seat, his grassroots appeal and strategic political thinking earned him national recognition — and eventually, a ministerial appointment in 2024.
Now, as he steps into his new role, Yilwatda brings with him a reputation for innovation, integrity, and a fierce belief in the power of technology to transform public service.
Party leaders describe his emergence as part of a broader recalibration—an effort to restore unity, bridge internal divides, and reposition the APC ahead of critical national elections. “This is more than just a leadership change,” one party chieftain whispered on the sidelines. “It’s about direction, about healing, about showing Nigerians we’re ready for the future.”
As the APC continues its internal restructuring, all eyes will now be on Professor Yilwatda — the technocrat-turned-party-boss — to steer the ship through turbulent political waters and deliver on the promise of reform, digital governance, and party discipline.
A new chapter has begun. The question is: can he write a winning story?