…New APC National Chairman Vows to Expand Membership, Secure 2027 Victory
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to prioritise grassroots development and deepen internal party structures for broader political engagement and success.
The President made the appeal on Thursday during the 14th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the APC held at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.
Addressing party leaders, Tinubu stressed the importance of community-level impact and urged the governors to deliver more democratic dividends to the people.
“Nigerians are still complaining at the grassroots. Governors, you must water the grass more and lead in delivering progressive change to the people,” the President said.
He proposed the establishment of a national working committee to facilitate seamless registration of new party members across all states and suggested the creation of a council of party elders to oversee the process.
“With the space we’ve created for aspiring members to join us, our doors remain open, and we should embrace them wholeheartedly. We may form a party of elders, as the new chairman suggested, to oversee nationwide registration and ensure a smooth onboarding process,” he noted.
.President Tinubu also called for the establishment of a permanent APC national secretariat and tasked governors with collaborating with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to secure a suitable location.
“Let us leave a legacy of development. Progressive governors should work with the FCT Minister to find land for a befitting party secretariat,” he urged.
While expressing appreciation for the votes of confidence from various geopolitical zones, Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to economic reforms, food security, and national stability.
“It’s not easy navigating economic instability, but now, with stability, we face no fear — only upward growth. We must invest more in our country’s future. Those working with me will ensure we secure a sovereign food guarantee for Nigeria,” he added.
The meeting was attended by APC governors, ministers, lawmakers, and senior party leaders from across the country.
New APC National Chairman Yilwatda Vows to Build Party, Deliver 2027 Victory
Meanwhile, the newly elected National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, has pledged to grow the party’s membership base and secure a resounding victory in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking shortly after assuming office during the NEC meeting in Abuja, Yilwatda expressed gratitude to the party leadership, its supporters, and the President for the opportunity to lead.
“I count it a rare privilege, and I must appreciate God, the leadership of our party, our governors, National Assembly members, and NWC members,” he said.
“It is both a privilege and a weighty responsibility. I will work with everyone to build the party, deepen its structure, and advance the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Yilwatda also promised to unite the party and make it more attractive to Nigerians, declaring that “2027 is a done deal for the APC.”
Before his appointment as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs in 2024, Yilwatda was the APC governorship candidate in Plateau State during the 2023 elections. He also previously served as a Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benue State from 2017.
Born on August 8, 1968, in Dungung, Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State, Yilwatda comes from a clerical background, being the son of the late Rev. and Mrs. Toma Yilwatda.
An accomplished engineer, he is a registered member of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and the Solar Energy Society of Nigeria.