In an extraordinary display of party solidarity—or desperation—the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee (NEC) on 24 July 2025 elected a former Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda as its new national chairman without a single dissenting vote.
The former Humanitarian Minister, whose academic and technocratic credentials are beyond question, replaces Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, who resigned citing “crucial private matters.”
Yet beneath the veneer of unanimity lies a brewing storm of factional rivalries that threaten to tear the ruling party apart as it gears up for the crucial 2027 general elections.
From Lecture Halls to Party Pinnacle
Born on 8 August 1968 in Dungung, Plateau State, Prof. Yilwatda’s rise from Boys’ Secondary School, Gindiri, to the directorship of ICT at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, exemplifies the technocratic elite that President Tinubu has favoured from day one.
Over a 26‑year tenure, he automated myriad institutional processes, earning “Best Director” and “Best Staff” awards.
His impeccable résumé was further burnished by his role as Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) with INEC from 2017 to 2021, where he championed enfranchisement for IDPs and persons with disabilities.
Ganduje’s Quiet Exit: Health or Hustle?
Dr Abdullahi Ganduje’s abrupt resignation has set tongues wagging. Official statements refer to “crucial private matters,” but persistent whispers suggest that factional backbiting and a loss of confidence from the Tinubu inner circle precipitated his downfall.
Under Ganduje’s stewardship, the party saw mixed fortunes: he was credited with bolstering grassroots structures but blamed for failing to quell the insurgent Labour Party surge during the 2023 elections.
His sudden departure underscores the precarious nature of power within the APC.
Technocracy Meets Politics
Yilwatda’s ascendancy marks a decisive tilt towards technocracy, a strategy President Tinubu has deployed since his inauguration on 29 May 2023.
Supporters insist that by installing a former INEC REC and digital reformer at the party’s helm, the administration signals that election integrity and digital mobilisation will be its cornerstones.
Yet critics argue that an over‑reliance on technocrats risks alienating the grass roots and exacerbating perceptions of elitism within party ranks.
The 2023 Plateau Lesson
The governor ship race in Plateau State on 18 March 2023 offers a cautionary tale. Yilwatda, as the APC flagbearer, tallied 481,400 votes (44.55%) against PDP’s Caleb Mutfwang, who secured 525,299 votes (48.62%).
Despite a legal odyssey that briefly overturned the result at appeal, the Supreme Court reinstated Mutfwang in January 2024, highlighting both the resilience of Nigeria’s judiciary and the vulnerability of electoral victories to protracted litigation.
Factional Flashpoints
Within the APC, power blocs crystallise around key figures: President Tinubu, his First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and former Nasarawa governor Umaru Tanko Al‑Makura—all of whom reportedly lobbied for Yilwatda’s selection.
However, hardliners loyal to ex‑Chairman Ganduje and swing‑state kingmakers in the North‑West remain unconvinced.
This uneasy coalition risks imploding once the honeymoon period ends and realpolitik takes hold.
Comparative Historical Precedents
Previous APC chairmen have faltered under similar pressures. Adams Oshiomhole’s tenure (2018–2020) began with reformist zeal but ended in ignominy after clashes with Governors and internal discipline crises.
Likewise, John Odigie‑Oyegun oversaw initial electoral successes but failed to prevent factional schisms.
Yilwatda must learn from these precedents: his technocratic acumen alone cannot paper over the APC’s deep structural rifts.
Quotes from the Corridors of Power
“Yilwatda embodies the fusion of technology and governance we desperately need,” declared a senior Tinubu aide, speaking on condition of anonymity. “His digital pedigree will revolutionise our campaign machinery.”
Conversely, a veteran Northern governor warned, “We cannot rely solely on gadgets and algorithms; grassroots mobilisation demands human touch and respect for local power brokers.” These divergent views encapsulate the tension at the heart of the APC’s new era.
The Road to 2027
With 2027 barely two years away, the newly anointed chairman faces a Herculean task: unify warring factions, rebuild the party’s image after the 2023 setbacks, and counter the surging populism of the Labour Party and PDP.
Polling data from June 2025 shows public approval for the APC government languishing at 42%, with economic mismanagement and security lapses cited as top grievances.
