New APC National Chair, Nentawe Yilwatda.
Opposition parties question the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process as former INEC commissioner and ex-minister, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, becomes APC national chairman; the ruling party dismisses fears as baseless.
The recent emergence of Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and erstwhile Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as the new national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has ignited a political firestorm, with opposition parties voicing deep concerns over the independence of Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Yilwatda was announced as APC’s new national chairman following the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. He takes over from Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, who stepped down on June 27 citing health-related challenges.
Critics, particularly from the opposition, argue that Yilwatda’s previous roles within INEC and the federal cabinet raise troubling implications for the impartiality of future elections, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of blurring the lines between party politics and electoral oversight.
Speaking on behalf of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), National Secretary Peter Ameh described Yilwatda’s appointment as “a deliberate erosion of institutional safeguards” essential for credible elections in Nigeria.
“This development raises serious questions about the impartiality of INEC and the integrity of our electoral process,” Ameh stated. “Appointing a former REC, who also contested the 2023 Plateau State governorship election under APC and coordinated Tinubu’s campaign, undermines public trust and suggests a troubling overlap between electoral administration and partisan politics.”
Yilwatda served as REC in Benue State from 2017 to 2021, a period during which he oversaw elections in several key states including Benue, Anambra, Rivers, Osun, and Cross River. He resigned in 2022, subsequently contested in the Plateau gubernatorial race under APC, and played a prominent role in the party’s 2023 presidential campaign.
Opposition parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Young Progressives Party (YPP) have joined CUPP in expressing alarm.
Diran Odeyemi, a member of the PDP National Executive Committee, said Yilwatda’s appointment “confirms long-held doubts about INEC’s neutrality,” arguing that “his APC DNA has now been fully exposed.”
“This development raises the question of whether elections under his chairmanship of the APC can be seen as truly fair. Are we to assume results have already been decided?” Odeyemi asked.
While acknowledging the concerns, the YPP took a broader perspective, emphasizing the need for comprehensive electoral reforms. National Publicity Secretary Wale Egbeola-Martins stated that focusing on individual appointments misses the point.
“While we understand the outrage, the real issue lies in reforming Nigeria’s outdated electoral laws. Credibility must be built on strong and transparent legal frameworks, not on individuals,” he said. “Once these frameworks are institutionalized, fears of undue influence, real or perceived will diminish.”
Egbeola-Martins stressed that reforming legal safeguards is the “surest way to restore public confidence and ensure that elections truly reflect the will of the people.”
In response to the growing criticisms, the ruling APC has defended its decision, calling the backlash politically motivated and lacking in substance. Director of Publicity for the APC, Bala Ibrahim, dismissed the opposition's fears as “baseless.”
“Is INEC a cult that forbids its former members from participating in politics?” Ibrahim asked. “We are talking about a man who has left INEC for years. Are we saying a retired coach cannot advise a team or a former police officer cannot become a security consultant?”
Ibrahim further argued that Prof. Yilwatda’s knowledge of INEC would not provide any undue advantage to the party but could help the APC operate within the law and avoid pitfalls.
“Yilwatda has no access to INEC’s systems or structure. His experience simply enables him to help the APC stay compliant and competitive,” he added, while encouraging opposition parties to also leverage former electoral staff to strengthen their operations.
Prof. Yilwatda, an academic and former engineering lecturer at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, had served as Benue REC from 2017 before transitioning into politics. Though he initially secured victories at the election petitions tribunal and the Court of Appeal following the 2023 gubernatorial contest, the Supreme Court ultimately affirmed the victory of Governor Caleb Mutfwang of the PDP.
As Nigeria heads toward the next electoral cycle, the appointment has stirred renewed debate about the independence of the electoral umpire and the structural integrity of the country’s democratic institutions. For many observers, it is yet another reminder that Nigeria's political landscape remains deeply entangled with its electoral system raising a critical need for not just transparency but systemic reform.
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