New APC National Chair, Nentawe Yilwatda

The emergence of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, as the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has sparked strong reactions, particularly from opposition parties and civil society groups.

Critics are raising concerns over Yilwatda’s previous role as a Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing his elevation as a strategic move by President Bola Tinubu to compromise the electoral body’s independence ahead of the 2027 general election.

Yilwatda was confirmed as APC’s new chairman during the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He succeeds Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, who resigned on June 27 due to health concerns.

Yilwatda, a former engineering lecturer at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, served as INEC REC in Benue State from 2017 until his resignation in 2022. He oversaw elections in Benue, Anambra, Osun, Rivers, and Cross River States during his tenure. In 2023, he contested the Plateau State governorship on the APC platform. Although he won at the tribunal and the Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court ultimately upheld the election of Governor Caleb Mutfwang.

Reacting to his appointment, Diran Odeyemi, a member of the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said it casts fresh doubts on INEC’s neutrality.

“This appointment has again exposed who Prof. Yilwatda is. He has APC DNA, which raises serious concerns about his neutrality in his previous assignments, through which he got the new appointment as APC national chairman. This again raises the question of how truly independent INEC is,” Odeyemi said.

He added, “Let’s hope his contemporaries are not in charge of our elections in Nigeria, or can we rightly conclude that election results have been pronounced with the announcement of his name as their new chairman?”

Offering a more moderate view, the National Publicity Secretary of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Wale Egbeola-Martins, stressed the need to focus on reforming Nigeria’s electoral laws.

“While the concerns raised are understandable, the broader and more pressing issue lies in the urgent need to reform Nigeria’s electoral laws. The credibility of our democratic process cannot hinge solely on individuals or their past affiliations,” he stated.

Egbeola-Martins argued that strong, enforceable electoral frameworks were essential to reduce fears of undue influence. “Strengthening legal safeguards around the electoral process is the surest way to inspire public confidence and ensure that elections truly reflect the will of the people, regardless of who occupies party leadership positions,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) described Yilwatda’s appointment as a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

Speaking to our correspondent, CUPP National Secretary Peter Ameh said the development “raises serious questions about the impartiality of INEC, the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral processes, and the ruling party’s commitment to upholding democratic principles.”

He warned that elevating a former electoral official to a high-ranking party position barely three years after his INEC tenure “creates a perception of compromised neutrality and undermines public confidence in the electoral body.”

Ameh added that Yilwatda’s candidacy in the 2022 APC governorship primaries and his role as coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign in 2023 demonstrated his partisan alignment.

“This transition from a supposedly neutral electoral official to a high-ranking position within the ruling party suggests a troubling overlap between electoral administration and partisan politics,” he said.

In response, Bala Ibrahim, APC’s Director of Publicity, dismissed the concerns, describing them as unfounded.

“Is INEC a cult? Are political parties not engaging former INEC staff as advisers or consultants? There is nothing wrong with someone who worked somewhere before working for a political party,” Ibrahim said.

“Our national chairman was an ex-staff member of INEC, but he does not have access to any of the umpire’s facilities. His knowledge of INEC can help the party avoid anything that can be a disadvantage,” he added, urging opposition parties to also tap into the experience of former INEC officials if needed.