The All Progressives Congress (APC) has re-elected Prof Nentawe Yilwatda as its national chairman, as three members of the National Working Committee (NWC) were dropped at the party’s national convention in Abuja.
Those who did not make the new team include deputy national chairman (south) Emma Eneukwu, deputy national organising secretary Nze Duru and national financial secretary Bashir Gumel.
The new NWC members were elected through affirmative votes by 8,453 delegates from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
They are expected to steer the party’s affairs for the next four years according to its constitution.
The newly elected members include national chairman Nentawe Yilwatda of Plateau State, deputy national chairman (north) Abubakar Dalori of Borno State and deputy national chairman (south) Ben Nwoye of Enugu State.
Others are national secretary Surajudeen Basiru of Osun State, deputy national secretary Abdulkarim Kana of Nasarawa State, national vice chairman (north central) Mu’azu Rijau of Niger State, national vice chairman (north east) Mustapha Salihu of Adamawa State and national vice chairman (north west) Mohammed Datti of Kaduna State.
Also elected were national vice chairman (south east) Ijeomah Arodiogbu of Imo State, national vice chairman (south south) Victor Tom Giadom of Rivers State and national vice chairman (south west) Isaac Kekemeke of Ondo State.
National legal adviser Muritala Kankia of Katsina State, national treasurer Uguru Ofoke of Ebonyi State, national financial secretary of Jigawa State and national organising secretary Suleiman Argungun of Kebbi State were also re-elected at the convention.
In his acceptance speech, Yilwatda said the APC NWC was ready to lead and work to rebuild Nigeria under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
“Our mission is clear. Together, we will build a Pan-African and Pan-Nigerian party that is stronger, transparent, inclusive, and more disciplined and united than ever.
“We will deepen internal democracy. So that every member is heard, we will strengthen our structures so that every person will trust it.
“We will expand the reach, so that the message of renewed hope is heard in every community.
“We will empower our youth because they are not just the future, but they are a huge and important part of our today,” he said.
Yilwatda commended Tinubu for his support for the party and his leadership of the country.
He said the future of APC was tied to the future of Nigeria, anchored under the renewed hope agenda of the administration.
“Already, we are seeing the signs; all economic reforms are stabilising our public finances and economy.
“Marketing investment in infrastructure, even the roads, the rails and the energy; the new focus on social investment, to protect the most vulnerable. Expansion of digital innovation.
“I truly and completely accept this moment with a full understanding of the way of history, the expectation of our people, and the urgency of this moment.
“I don’t see this convention as a toy with a crown, but as a duty, with the burden of trust of millions of our members.
“I know that from this day, the way of the burden of leadership, to provide for the millions of our members, from every ward, every state, every corner of this Nation, will now rest on our shoulders,” he said.
While pledging to lead an open-door party administration, Yilwatda expressed confidence that the party would be victorious in the 2027 general election.
Yilwatda was first appointed as APC national chairman in July 2025 following the resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje.
