Multiple sources in the ruling All Progressives Congress have revealed that President Bola Tinubu and his wife, Senator Remi Tinubu, are backing the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, to emerge as the new national chairman of the party.
One of the sources who spoke to Daily Trust on Wednesday night identified Yilwatda as the frontrunner for the powerful party position. However, there are indications that former Nasarawa State governor and serving senator, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, remains a serious contender.
With just hours to the APC’s crucial National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, credible insiders say the party’s leadership, comprising President Tinubu and APC governors, has narrowed the shortlist to Yilwatda and Al-Makura, with strong momentum building behind the minister’s candidacy.
Push to Return APC Chairmanship to North Central
Yilwatda is from Plateau State in the North Central region, which was originally designated to produce the APC national chairman before the appointment of former Kano State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who resigned earlier this month.
Sources also told Daily Trust that Tanko Al-Makura remains a potential fallback option.
Ganduje’s resignation has renewed calls for a new chairman, especially from North Central stakeholders who felt sidelined after Senator Abdullahi Adamu’s sudden departure following the 2023 general election that brought President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to power.
Party insiders confirmed that returning the chairmanship to the North Central and favouring a Christian candidate is a calculated effort to appease discontented stakeholders, particularly amid concerns over the Muslim-Muslim leadership of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Whichever candidate emerges today—whether Yilwatda or Al-Makura—will succeed acting chairman Ali Bukar Dalori, who had previously served as deputy national chairman before stepping in after Ganduje’s resignation.
Acting Chair Dalori Considered Too Close to Shettima
Some party sources also noted that Dalori might have remained in the acting role longer, “but for certain obvious reasons.”
“He is from Borno State, the same state as Vice President Shettima,” one source was quoted by Daily Trust. “And beyond that, there is no time to keep playing to the gallery. The president and the APC want to resolve the chairmanship issue once and for all. Tinubu wants someone who will be as loyal to him as Senator Adamu was to President Buhari.”
Other Names Considered — and Dropped
Other contenders earlier floated for the position include Senator Sani Musa (Niger State), Senator Salihu Mustapha (Kwara), former Plateau governor Joshua Dariye, SGF George Akume, and Senator Abu Ibrahim (Katsina).
Akume, a former governor of Benue State, publicly distanced himself from the race during the heat of consultations, saying he was focused on his role as SGF and remained loyal to Tinubu.
Sources within the APC national secretariat, the Presidency, and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs confirmed that Yilwatda’s name has repeatedly surfaced in high-level internal deliberations.
One top official at the party headquarters was quoted by Daily Trust saying: “The body language of President Tinubu has given Nentawe (Yilwatda) a significant edge.
“From the National Working Committee (NWC) to the Villa, many believe Nentawe (Yilwatda) is the man to beat. There’s already a subtle celebration in parts of Plateau State over the possibility of their son becoming chairman.”
Yilwatda, a technocrat and Christian from the Middle Belt, is viewed by some as a strategic pick to counterbalance the Muslim-Muslim presidency. Sources indicate that President Tinubu and his advisers believe his emergence could help alleviate long-standing grievances over exclusion and enhance the party’s image ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Even the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is said to be backing Nentawe (Yilwatda), which many see as a strong indication of presidential support,” another source said.
Despite widespread endorsements, not everyone is convinced.
Critics, including some within Plateau and Abuja, argue that Yilwatda, who joined the APC less than four years ago, lacks the political depth to navigate the party’s complex internal dynamics.
“He’s doing well at the ministry, reaching the poor, managing resources. He’s under immense pressure to accept the chairmanship, but left to him, he’s content where he is,” one insider told Daily Trust.
Another source added that Yilwatda harbours political ambitions and may be reluctant to give up his ministerial post, which provides a platform for a possible governorship bid in Plateau, a position he narrowly lost in 2023.
It was further gathered that Yilwatda was in Niger State responding to flood victims when he was summoned to Abuja for consultations. He had planned to visit another state, but cancelled due to the urgency of the situation.
A close associate told Daily Trust last night, “Unless something dramatic happens in the next few hours, Nentawe (Yilwatda) will be crowned APC chairman. He is the president’s choice and enjoys support from key players. But as you know, politics is unpredictable.”
Yilwatda’s Background
Yilwatda was appointed minister following the resignation of his political mentor and former Plateau State governor, Senator Simon Lalong, who left the cabinet to return to the Senate after the Court of Appeal nullified the election of the PDP candidate earlier declared the winner for the Plateau South Senatorial District.
Before his ministerial role, Yilwatda was the APC governorship candidate in Plateau State during the 2023 elections, where he lost to Governor Caleb Mutfwang of the PDP.
A staunch loyalist of Lalong, he secured the APC ticket by defeating the former governor’s deputy, Sonni Gwanle Tyoden, and three others. He also served as the state coordinator for the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Organisation in the 2023 elections.
From July 2017 to December 2021, Yilwatda served as the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Benue State, a position he resigned from to contest the APC governorship primary in 2022. Before that, he spent 12 years as the Director of ICT at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi.
Born on August 8, 1968, in Dungung, Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State, Yilwatda comes from a devout Christian family—his parents were the late Rev. and Mrs. Toma Yilwatda. He earned a degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering in 1992 from the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, followed by a master’s degree from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and a PhD in Digital Systems Engineering from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
In addition to his academic and political career, Yilwatda is a community development expert and lecturer at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi. He brings over 29 years of experience as a consultant to international development partners and both public and private sector institutions.