By Omoniyi Salaudeen
The election of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, as the new National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has finally put to rest the prolonged agitation by the North Central zone to have one of its own as the leader of the party.
The clamour followed the exit of the former National Chairman, Senator Abdulahi Adamu, who hails from Nasarawa State. By agitating to produce the next chairman, the stakeholders from the North Central aimed to complete Adamu’s tenure based on zoning arrangement. However, all plea fell on deaf ears, as the party settled for the immediate past governor of Kano State, Dr Abdulahi Ganduje, in compensation for the role he played in the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President.
The sudden resignation of Ganduje eventually paved the way for the election of Yalwatda as the new National Chairman. Yalwatda, a renowned Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, hails from Plateau State in the North Central, the region originally expected to produce the national chairman before the appointment of former Kano State governor. Though an experienced politician of note, Yalwatda could aptly be described as a dark horse in this power game, as relatively little was known to the public about his aspiration to be the chairman until the scenario that played out at the Thursday’s NEC meeting of the party. A source close to the presidency told Sunday Sun that his name was included in the list of suitable contenders shortlisted for the exalted position and the majority voted in his favour to be the National Chairman.
At the NEC meeting, the motion for his nomination was moved by the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, and seconded by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas. Thus, he was elected unanimously by the National Executive Committee of the party on Thursday and subsequently sworn in
as the new National Chairman. Before now, he had contested for the governorship position of Plateau State on the platform of the APC but lost to the incumbent governor, Caleb Mutfwang, in the 2023 general elections. As a Christian from the North Central Zone, his emergence is seen by some analysts as a strategic choice to balance the party’s leadership structure.
Prior to Yilwatda’s substantive appointment as National Chairman, Ali Dalori, the Deputy National Chairman (North), had been serving as the acting national chairman. The latest development is, therefore, a significant leadership change within the ruling party, with potential implications for the party’s direction and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Yilwatda’s appointment is particularly significant in putting to rest the widely perceived frosty relationship between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his vice, Kashim Shettima, whom many believe might be dropped as a running mate in the 2027 election. The speculation gained traction when Ali Bukar Dalori from the North-East zone, precisely Borno State, was appointed as the acting chairman after Ganduje’s resignation.
The election of Yalwatda as substantive chairman has several potential implications for Vice President Kashim Shettima, especially concerning power dynamics and the road to 2027. Apart from regional balancing and zoning arrangement, it indirectly signals a positive outlook for the maintenance of his position as Vice President contrary to the wide speculation about possible replacement.
By having a North Central Chairman, it could be argued that it strengthens the overall zoning balance that includes Shettima’s North-East. This aligns with the traditional zoning formula that often seeks to avoid concentrating too much power in one or two zones.
The APC generally operates on a zoning principle to ensure equitable distribution of power and positions across the geopolitical zones. With President Tinubu from the South-West and the Vice President (Shettima) from the North-East, and the vacant position of chairman filled by a North Central candidate, Shettima can now be allowed to maintain his position as the running mate in the next election. He can also consolidate his position as undisputed leader in the North-East zone.
Secondly, the present structure of the party will further strengthen inclusivity perception. Since Professor Yilwatda is a Christian from the North Central and President Tinubu (South-West) with Vice President Shettima (North-East) being Muslims, his emergence as party chairman has created a visible Christian leader at the apex of the party’s structure. This move is seen as strategic to projecting inclusivity and counter criticisms of the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, potentially making the party more appealing to Christian voters, especially in the North Central, which has a significant Christian population. This indirectly benefits the Tinubu/Shettima ticket by addressing a sensitive issue.
Additionally, the new power-sharing structure creates a conducive atmosphere for internal party cohesion and stability. Yilwatda’s appointment will bring greater stability and reduce internal bickering within the party leadership, thus creating a more conducive environment for the executive, including Shettima, to pursue its agenda without constant party-level distractions. A united party leadership is generally beneficial for the entire government.
The inclusion of North Central in the hierarchical structure of the party is a strategic move towards Tinubu’ re-election dynamics. It is beneficial for greater North Central Support in the coming election. This is bearing mind that Yilwatda was the APC governorship candidate in Plateau State in 2023, demonstrating a grassroots connection in the North Central. His appointment will help consolidate APC’s support base in the North Central region, a crucial swing zone often referred to as the “Middle Belt. A stronger party cohesion and outreach in this zone, led by its new chairman, would be beneficial for the Tinubu/Shettima re-election bid in 2027.
While Shettima is a strong figure from the North East, the North Central has also historically sought higher political relevance. Giving them the party chairmanship helps manage these regional aspirations within the APC framework, which can prevent internal disgruntlement that might otherwise spill over and affect the top ticket.
In summary, Yilwatda’s appointment as APC National Chairman is generally viewed as a positive development for Vice President Kashim Shettima. It also contributes to regional balancing, strengthens the party’s image of inclusivity, and aims to foster greater party cohesion, all of which indirectly support the current presidential ticket and its prospects for 2027.
This position aligns with the perspective of Chief Henry Ajomale, a close associate of President Tinubu and former chairman of APC in Lagos State. While discussing the issue with Sunday Sun in a telephone interview, he dismissed the speculation about a frosty relationship between the President and Shettima as the imagination of opposition groups who were bent on destroying the APC to scuttle Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
He had this to say: “I don’t know Yilwatda in person and I cannot comment much on him. At any rate, the former National Chairman, Abdulahi Adamu, is from the North Central, Nasarawa state precisely. It is only fair that the replacement must come from the zone to complete their tenure. Yalwatda wasn’t the only one recommended. A lot of people were recommended but they zoned it to the Central. I am sure the President is aware of his capacity and capability. That is why the party considered him fit for the job.
“We have been hearing rumours about a frosty relationship between Shettima and the President, but I don’t think so. A lot of things are being done to divide the APC by creating false information that there is a problem between the President and the Vice President – I am aware it doesn’t exist. If anybody wants to carry any rumour, I am not going to pass it over. All I know is that some people in ADC want to break the APC at all costs. I have not seen the evidence that there is a problem between the President and the Vice President. So, I still consider it as a rumour because I would have known if there is any crack between the President and the Vice President. It is a ploy to tarnish the image of the party and the Vice President.
“The aim of appointing the National Chairman from the North Central is to ensure that there is a balance in the power-sharing within the APC. At the last election, North Central contributed to the victory of Mr President because they voted massively for APC. Irrespective of the fact that majority of them are Christians and all the blackmails surrounding the Muslim-Muslim ticket to sway their votes in favour of either Peter Obi or someone else to block Asiwaju from becoming the President, they played their role well and they contributed a lot to the success of APC in that election. They contributed a bloc vote for Asiwaju. To compensate them, they deserve to fill the vacant position of National Chairman. Even in the next election, their vote is very critical in winning the election.
“For me, I think their concern has been taken care of. The South-South too has been taken care of by the Senate President. And of course, the North-East by the Vice President. I think everybody is happier now.”
Another chieftain of the APC in Ogun State, Senator Gbenga Obadara, also lent credence to the permutations, describing Yalwatda’s appointment as a welcome development. “All the insinuations about a sour relationship between the President and Vice President Shettima are mere speculations. And for me as a Senator, it is not good to be a part of such speculations.
“The appointment of the new National Chairman is a welcome development. Once the substantive chairman resigned, it is a must that there must be a new chairman. And from what we have seen, the party’s hierarchy knows what is good for the party and they have followed the normal process in appointing him as the new chairman,” Obadara posited.
The newly appointed National Chairman, in his acceptance speech, promised to work with all stakeholders to unite, strength and expand the party. “I do not take this mandate for granted. I want to accept it with gratitude and with my full heart and with my full mind to work together with you, to build the party; knowing that all of us here are the mechanics of the party and the party is our vehicle and we’ll fix it and move it to our destination,” he declared.
That’s is good tiding for the party. However, how he will navigate the complex hurdles before the party for the re-election of President Tinubu is yet to be seen.
In the meantime, the concession of the position of National Chairman to the North Central has sent shock waves through the spines of those peddling the rumour of the President planning to drop Shettima as running mate.
But some other observers have described the scenario as an unfolding development, noting that the months ahead will reveal the true position of things.
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