There are moments in politics that feel less like routine appointments and more like course corrections, moments that suggest a return to substance over show. The emergence of Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda as the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is one of those rare moments. It is not just a political move, it is a statement. A statement that vision, competence, and integrity are still valuable currency in Nigerian leadership.
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This is a man whose track record does not need embellishment. For those of us who have worked with him, who have watched him turn crumbling systems into functional structures, watched him lead without noise and innovate without ego this appointment is not surprising. It is overdue. Professor Yilwatda represents a different kind of politics, one rooted in intellect, guided by service, and powered by results.
In a country where leadership is often a complex chessboard of power play, political maneuvering, and public skepticism, it is rare and refreshing even to find a man whose journey inspires confidence before he even takes the reins. The All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria’s ruling party, has turned a page in its history with the emergence of Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda as its new National Chairman. This is not just a change in leadership, it is the start of a recalibration.
Professor Yilwatda is not your typical political actor. He is an academic, a digital systems engineer, a public servant with integrity, and most importantly, a leader with the technical mind of a reformer and the grassroots heart of a nation-builder. His appointment signals a quiet but profound message to Nigerians that competence, character, and clarity of vision still count.
Born on August 8, 1968, in Dungung, Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State, Professor Yilwatda’s story is one rooted in faith, discipline, and ambition. The son of a devout Christian family, his late parents, Reverend and Mrs. Toma Yilwatda, he grew up with values that blended moral strength with intellectual rigor. He pursued his primary education at LGED Primary School in Dungung and earned his GCE O-Levels from Boys’ Secondary School, Gindiri, in 1986. But it was in the complex world of circuits, algorithms, and digital systems that he truly found his calling.
Graduating with a B.Eng. in Electrical/Electronic Engineering from the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi in 1992, he went on to secure a Master’s and then a PhD in Digital Systems Engineering from ATBU Bauchi and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, respectively. He also undertook international training in e-governance at the United Nations University in Macau, a move that would define much of his later professional trajectory.
It was at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi where I had the distinct pleasure of calling him a colleague that Professor Yilwatda’s visionary prowess became most evident. As Director of the ICT Directorate for over 12 years, he did not just maintain systems, he revolutionized them. From digitizing academic processes to implementing resilient IT infrastructure, his work transformed how we understood the role of technology in public institutions. He wasn’t just building software,he was engineering institutional change. To watch him work was to witness precision, passion, and purpose. He had the rare ability to distill complex technological frameworks into practical solutions that met local needs. From renewable energy projects to community microgrids and cold-chain systems for rural sustainability Professor Yilwatda was always steps ahead, always thinking impact.
His consulting roles with organizations like the UN, World Bank, and UNDP weren’t just ceremonial. They were practical extensions of his belief that technology, when purposefully deployed, could change lives. Projects like PAWA 774, which aimed to bring power solutions to underserved Nigerian communities, are testament to his belief in the power of innovation for inclusive development.
Something about Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda’s rise doesn’t feel accidental, it feels earned. It feels like destiny meeting preparation, like competence finally being given a stage. In a time when political appointments are often steeped in controversy and compromise, the emergence of Nentawe as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) cuts through the noise like a breath of fresh air. This is a man whose journey has been defined by vision, discipline, and quiet excellence. And now, he’s been handed the kind of role that could redefine the trajectory of Nigeria’s ruling party.
I say this not just as a citizen or observer, but also as someone who has worked with him. As his colleague at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, I saw firsthand what it meant to lead with intellect, strategy, and unwavering integrity. What he did with the ICT Directorate was nothing short of revolutionary. So when I say the APC is in capable hands, I say it with conviction born from experience.
In 2017, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Professor Yilwatda as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Benue State, a period that proved to be a masterclass in electoral integrity. He was not merely a referee in the political game, he was an institutional reformer. He championed access to voting for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and persons with disabilities, and was instrumental in pushing for technological transparency in the electoral process. Under his leadership, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Benue became a model of inclusivity and transparency. He brought order, credibility, and courage to an often-contentious process. These are qualities Nigeria desperately needs at the helm of its ruling party.
In 2023, Professor Yilwatda ran as the APC gubernatorial candidate for Plateau State. It was a closely contested election. He lost to Caleb Mutfwang of the PDP by a margin of just 4%, a testament to his wide appeal and the potency of his campaign. Many others would have retreated, but not him. He followed the legal path, exhausting every avenue with dignity.
Even after the Supreme Court upheld the PDP’s victory, he remained gracious, principled, and committed to the democratic process. He also served as the State Coordinator for the Tinubu-Shettima presidential campaign in Plateau State, helping to deliver key strategic outcomes during a heated electoral season. This shows a man who not only understands electoral systems but also knows how to mobilize grassroots support in real-time political contexts.
The APC has been at a crossroads juggling internal dissent, managing national discontent, and grappling with the challenge of delivering on its mandate. What the party needs now is a Chairman who is not beholden to the stale politics of patronage and power for its own sake. What it needs is a technocrat with moral clarity and the ability to design systems, unite factions, and ignite trust. And in Professor Yilwatda, it has just that.
As someone who watched his work in the ICT Directorate at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, I can confidently say this: If he applies the same strategic foresight, calm resolve, and innovation mindset that he brought to the university to the APC, then the party is in for a renaissance. He listens, he plans, and more importantly he delivers.
Professor Yilwatda’s emergence offers the APC a rare opportunity to return to first principle,to rebuild trust, foster discipline, and chart a sustainable ideological path. His tenure could become a case study in how academic brilliance, public service ethics, and political leadership can coalesce into transformative party stewardship.
Nigeria may be bruised, but it is not broken. And neither is the APC. Under Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, there is now a glimmer a strong one of reform, restoration, and redemption. This, indeed, may be the political breakthrough the party and the nation have long awaited.
When I served as a collation officer under Professor Yilwatda while he was Benue’s REC. What I saw was not just a brilliant mind but also a man of quiet, principled stubbornness. With him at the helm of APC, I believe a new kind of leadership is possible.
Not all leadership comes with noise. Some come with clarity, competence, and quiet strength. In Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the APC may have just found its compass.
That said, Professor Yilwatda steps into this role with challenges that should not be overlooked. His background, steeped in academia and technocratic service, may be seen by some as lacking the kind of street-level political muscle often required to navigate the complex, sometimes unruly internal dynamics of a major political party. The APC, like many Nigerian political machines, is layered with power blocs, competing interests, and ideological gaps. Steering such a ship requires not just competence, but calculated toughness. There may also be doubts about whether his calm and methodical nature can withstand the pressure of high-stakes political firefighting. But if anything, it is this very blend of quiet firmness and intellectual clarity that could disrupt the old order and set a new tone for party discipline, strategic thinking, and national political discourse.
For those who assume Professor Yilwatda’s calm demeanor means he lacks the grit for political leadership, they simply haven’t met the version of him that stands his ground when it matters. Beneath that gentlemanly exterior is a firm, principled resolve, a kind of righteous stubbornness that doesn’t flinch under pressure. I witnessed it firsthand during my time as a collation officer under his leadership while he served as Resident Electoral Commissioner.He was fair, but immovable. Respectful, yet unshakably firm. That rare blend of gentleness and steel is exactly what the APC and indeed Nigeria needs at this moment.
With him, the party is not just in safe hand, it is in steady, visionary hands.
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