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APC POWER CHESS: YILWATDA PICK BRIGHTENS SHETTIMA, NORTH EAST’S 2027 CHANCES
The emergence of Prof Nentawe Yilwatda as National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress on Tuesday is already generating ripples across Nigeria’s political space — and with good reason,
With the choice of a young professor as the national chairman of the biggest political party in Africa, many political observers have posited that President Bola Tinubu deserves his flowers.
It was like a thunderbolt. Not many people saw it coming.
However, beneath the routine nature of Thursday’s confirmation of the National Executive Committee lies a complex matrix of power balancing, ethnic and religious realignments and 2027 succession politics.
One of the unspoken tensions in APC’s zoning arrangement had been the precarious situation of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who hails from Borno State in the North-East.
Before Nentawe’s emergence, the acting APC National Chairman, Ali Dalori, was also from the same geopolitical zone — a configuration many insiders believed could complicate Shettima’s political viability in 2027, should he seek to remain as running mate or emerge as a presidential contender.
The appointment of Nentawe, who hails from the North-Central zone (Plateau State), neutralises this zoning conflict.
It effectively removes the threat of regional redundancy at the top party echelon, a concern that could have tilted the balance against Shettima when high-level succession plans come under scrutiny.
By reassigning the powerful office of national chairman away from the North-East, the APC appears to have restored a delicate regional equilibrium — one that could keep Shettima’s 2027 prospects alive, or even strengthened.
However, there are growing concerns within political and insider circles that another influential stalwart of the APC from the North-East, and the current National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, is being quietly positioned as a potential replacement for Vice President Shettima ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
Ribadu, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, is reportedly enjoying strong backing from a shadowy network of power brokers and inner-circle figures close to the Presidency.
These individuals are believed to be plotting a dramatic reshuffle that could upend the existing power structure within the APC.
Despite the increasing speculation and whispers in Abuja corridors of power, Ribadu has consistently avoided addressing the matter directly. He has tactfully deflected or declined to respond to such insinuations at public functions and in private discussions, fuelling further speculation about whether his silence is strategic or coincidental.
The Christian factor
More subtly — but just as significantly — Nentawe’s Christian faith provides a much-needed religious counterbalance within the APC, especially following the Tinubu-Shettima Muslim-Muslim ticket that drew strong criticism in 2023.
For a party that needs to regain the trust of Christian voters across the Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria, this is more than symbolic.
Nentawe’s emergence may help pacify concerns about marginalization, particularly in the North-Central region where religious plurality often shapes political loyalty.
As the son of a reverend and a respected technocrat with wide appeal among Christian communities, Nentawe brings a moral and cultural nuance the party desperately needs.
His Christian identity, coupled with Shettima’s Islamic background, subtly rebuilds a narrative of inclusion — and could become a selling point for the APC in regions previously alienated by its ticket choices.
The North-Central zone had previously held the APC chairmanship through Senator Abdullahi Adamu before he was replaced by Kano-born Abdullahi Ganduje in a move that attracted internal criticism. The return of the chairmanship to the zone can be interpreted as a strategic peace offering — and a bid to re-secure the allegiance of a region that has oscillated in its loyalty since 2015.
Governor Hope Uzodimma, who moved the motion for zoning the chairmanship back to the North-Central and nominated Nentawe, perhaps articulated the party’s intent: to reengage and reenergize its base in the Middle Belt. Nentawe’s close relationship with former Plateau Governor Simon Lalong further reinforces this political realignment.
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Technocrat turned politician
Nentawe brings more than zoning comfort to the table. His pedigree as a university professor, digital governance expert, and former INEC commissioner gives him a unique technocratic edge. His extensive work with international partners like the UN, World Bank, and EU adds global credibility to his portfolio. Moreover, his previous role as Director of ICT at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, and as Plateau’s 2023 APC governorship candidate, underscores a dual identity as both scholar and strategist.
While some may see his loss to the PDP in the Plateau gubernatorial election as a blemish, others view his court challenge and ultimate respect for the Supreme Court’s ruling as evidence of democratic maturity — a trait increasingly scarce in Nigeria’s high-stakes political landscape.
Win for Shettima’s camp?
As one of the state coordinators of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign in 2023, Nentawe is no stranger to the current ruling bloc.
[b]His loyalty to the Tinubu-Shettima ticket and his grassroots influence in the North-Central make him a valuable ally for the vice president.Some analysts believe that should Tinubu decide not to seek re-election in 2027 — either for personal or political reasons — Shettima’s path to the ticket would be heavily influenced by internal party dynamics.[/b]
Having an ally at the helm of the party’s national structure could prove decisive.
Even if Tinubu runs for a second term, having a Christian national chairman from the North-Central may shield the party from some of the polarization that plagued its 2023 campaign, especially if Shettima is retained as VP.
In Nigerian politics, every major party appointment is rarely what it seems on the surface. In Nentawe’s case, the APC appears to have killed multiple birds with one stone: regional balance, religious inclusivity, internal realignment, and technocratic competence.
Whether this move will eventually translate into electoral gains remains to be seen. But for now, it’s fair to say that with Nentawe as chairman, the APC is rearming itself structurally and ideologically. And for Kashim Shettima, it might just be the clearest signal yet that his political future within the ruling party is not only secure — but looking increasingly promising.
APC chieftains react
Former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, praised Nentawe’s emergence, describing him as a brilliant academic.
On whether he believes the new chairman can hold his own against governors and heavyweights in the party, Shittu said he doesn’t see Nentawe as a pushover.
“There is no doubt that the governors are gods. There’s no doubt about that. But not being in politics for too long does mean he can’t operate with common sense.
“But I pray that he will be able to impress now that he has an opportunity. For as long as he administers the party well and listens to concerns raised by members with a view to addressing them, he will get it right.”
Shittu also issued a caution against any attempt to drop Shettima ahead of 2027.
“I think the president ought to stabilise the government hierarchy. If he attempts to remove Shettima, the likelihood is that our people and party supporters in North-East are likely to rebel.
“It is still in the realm of speculation though. I don’t see him doing that. You know that Shettima is a brilliant man and also very loyal. He has always represented the President admirably.”
Another party chieftain from the North-Central, Dominic Alancha also weighed in. He warned against underestimating Nentawe.
He said, “Obviously, people don’t know Nentawe. He has been a grassroots person. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have emerged as a governorship candidate and our flag bearer in the 2023 election for our party.”
Alancha dismissed age-related criticisms, noting that many past Nigerian leaders took power in their youth.
“Those saying he is too young to become APC national chairman should tell us what age was Yakubu Gowon when he became the President… Again, what age was the likes of Obafemi Awolowo when he became a force to reckon with? We can name a whole lot of them.”
He added: “What we have been advocating for is to mainstream young people into the leadership position of the party. So Nentawe’s emergence is a plus for APC. He is going to galvanize Nigerian youth into the party. Many people are of the view that if you must be a political party chairman in Nigeria, you must be a former governor.”
On whether Nentawe’s emergence can end talks of replacing Shettima, Alancha deferred to the president’s prerogative but emphasized that the North’s ethnic minorities should no longer be overlooked.
“The truth of the matter is that in a short while, we are going to demystify the idea that if you are not a Muslim, you cannot deputize a southerner or the belief that the vote that makes Asiwaju the president is the Muslim vote. No, that is not true. Northern ethnic nationalities play a very vital role.”
“What I am saying is that whether his running mate is from North East, North Central or anywhere, it is the prerogative of the president to decide.”
“Some people from the North West are even saying that they have not even seen the impact of the Muslim-Muslim ticket. It is all about governance. That is where our attention should be,” he argued.
With Nentawe now steering the APC, a new chapter may be unfolding — one that could reshape internal dynamics, reframe the party’s national outlook, and potentially brighten the path for Kashim Shettima in 2027.
