Controversy Trails Appointment of New APC Chairman, Prof. Yilwatda

The appointment of Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, a former engineering lecturer and Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), as the new national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has sparked concerns over the impartiality of Nigeria’s electoral process.

Prof. Yilwatda, who served as REC in Benue State from 2017 and oversaw elections in several states, contested the 2023 Plateau governorship election under the APC. Though he initially secured legal victories, he ultimately lost to Governor Caleb Mutfwang at the Supreme Court.

His emergence as APC chairman has drawn criticism from opposition figures. A member of the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Executive Committee, Diran Odeyemi, questioned INEC’s independence, stating that Yilwatda’s deep ties to the APC raise doubts about the neutrality of elections conducted under his past oversight.

In contrast, Young Progressives Party spokesperson Wale Egbeola-Martins emphasized the need to reform Nigeria’s electoral laws. He argued that credibility in the democratic process should rest not on individual affiliations but on robust and transparent electoral frameworks.