Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress on Thursday elected Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda as its new national chairman, ending a brief leadership vacuum created by the resignation of Abdullahi Ganduje earlier this month. The decision was taken at the party’s 14th National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja, which was attended by President Bola Tinubu, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and 20 state governors. Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma moved Yilwatda’s nomination, which Abbas seconded, and delegates approved it by consensus. Yilwatda, who has been serving as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, was sworn in immediately after the vote. His appointment returns the chairmanship to Nigeria’s North-Central zone, whose leaders had complained of being sidelined when Ganduje from Kano State in the North-West was installed last year. A former lecturer and digital-systems engineer, Yilwatda ran unsuccessfully for governor of Plateau State in 2023 and later coordinated Tinubu’s presidential campaign in the state. Party officials hope his technocratic background and close ties to the presidency will help stabilise the APC ahead of midterm elections and consolidate Tinubu’s influence within the party structure.