The National Executive Council (NEC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has restructured its leadership as the Minister of Humanitarian, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, emerges as the new National Chairman. Yilwatda emergence followed his nomination by the Chairman of the APC governors Forum (APCGF) and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma and ratification by the party’s NEC members at a meeting held at the Presidential Villa yesterday.

The new APC National Chair from Plateau State, North-central Nigeria, took over directly from Ali Bukar Dalori, a Deputy National Chairman (North-east) who held forte after Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje’s resignation.

Meanwhile, the newly elected National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda has said that the position of the Chairman of the ruling party is a burden.

The National Chairman, who stated this after assuming office at the National Secretariat of the party in Abuja yesterday, called on the members of the National Working Committee (NWC), National Assembly Members, APC governors and the Presidency not to abandon the party.

He considered the party as a vehicle and its members as the mechanics that would make sure that the vehicle does not break down on the road.

Addressing the media at the National Secretariat, he said: “Let me acknowledge the presence of the outgoing acting chairman and deputy chairman, my brother and friend… the foundational working committee leaders, the secretaries, before I forget my secretary by the side….

“I count it a rare privilege and I must appreciate God, appreciate the leadership of our party, appreciate our governors, National Assembly, National Working Committee members and all the teaming loyal supporters of APC for resting this burden of trust on me.

I count it a trust and a burden at the same time because it’s quite heavy, it’s large, I know that I have people around me, veterans, supporters, friends as members of the National Working Committee.

I’ve worked with them before, virtually I’ve met all the members of the National Working Committee, I’ve met them in person, one other form of service or the other, here to monitor elections or going for primary elections elsewhere or campaigning in several states together with them.

“You’ve been my friends, you’ve been my partners and I expect nothing less from you that we all join hands together as a team, work together to ensure that we expand this party, we will increase membership, we will deepen technology that you already started and ensure that this party is transparent, this party enjoy the support of Nigerians and even beyond the shores of Nigeria to diaspora, recognise all the members of the party who are working for us too, it is you that has made this party tick.”

The emergence of the former Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Prof. Yilwatda as National Chairman the party has now produced eight helmsmen in 13 years.

The former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs was elected at the National Executive Committee NEC meeting of the APC, which was held at the Aso Villa in Abuja. The APC was registered in 2013 and since then it has produced eight National Chairmen of the party.

The Chairmen are: Chief Bisi Akande (South West), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun (South South), Senator Adams Oshiomhole (South South), Governor Mai Mala Buni (North East), Senator Abdullahi Adamu (North Central), Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje (North West), Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori (North East) and Prof. Yilwatda (North Central). Chief Akande, who was the interim National Chairman served from 2013-2014; Chief Odigie-Oyegun (2014- 2018); Senator Oshiomhole (2018-2020); Governor Buni (2020-2022), Senator Adamu (2022-2023); Alhaji Ganduje (2023-2025), Hon. Dalori (2025) and the newly elected National Chairman, Prof. Yilwatda. By the provisions of the APC constitution, a National Working Committee (NWC) member has a tenure of four years and can be re-elected for another four years for a second term.

Since the formation of the party, only Chief John Odigie-Oyegun was able to complete a full term. Among the eight National Chairmen, only four were produced by the National Convention of the party.

Three were produced by the National Executive Committee and one was produced by the National Working Committee as Acting National Chairman. The tenure of the present NWC of the APC would come to an end next March.