The All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the opposition’s fears regarding the recent appointment of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Nentawe Yilwatda, as baseless.
Naijaonpoint reports that the emergence of Yilwatda as the national chairman of the APC has raised concern among the opposition parties due to ties with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Yilwatda, a former engineering lecturer at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, was appointed Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in July 2017 and posted to Benue State.
During his four-year tenure in office, the new APC national chairman participated in the conduct of elections in Benue, Anambra, Osun, Rivers and Cross River states before resigning in 2022.
In an interview with Punch, the National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Peter Ameh, described Yilwatda’s appointment as a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
Ameh said the decision to elevate Yilwatda to such a prominent political position, despite his recent ties with INEC, is not merely a political manoeuvre but represents a deliberate erosion of the institutional safeguards that ensure free and fair elections in Nigeria.
He said, “The recent appointment of Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, a former REC of INEC, as the national chairman of the APC should spark widespread concern about the independence of Nigeria’s electoral system and the health of its democracy.
“This development, confirmed on July 24, 2025, during the APC’s National Executive Committee meeting, raises serious questions about the impartiality of INEC, the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral processes, and the ruling party’s commitment to upholding democratic principles.
“The decision to elevate an individual with recent ties to INEC to such a prominent political position is not merely a political manoeuvre; it represents a deliberate erosion of the institutional safeguards that ensure free and fair elections in Nigeria.
“The appointment of a former REC as the APC’s national chairman, barely three years after his tenure at INEC, creates a perception of compromised neutrality and undermines public confidence in the electoral body.
“Yilwatda served as an REC in Benue State from 2017 to 2021, a role that required him to embody impartiality and oversee elections with fairness.
“His subsequent involvement in partisan politics, including his candidacy in the APC’s 2022 governorship primary in Plateau State and his role as the state coordinator for the Tinubu/Shettima campaign organisation in 2023, raises serious concerns about the potential politicisation of INEC.
“The transition from a supposedly neutral electoral official to a high-ranking position within the ruling party suggests a troubling overlap between electoral administration and partisan politics.
“This move fuels suspicions that INEC’s independence may be vulnerable to infiltration by political actors, casting doubt on the fairness of past and future elections.”
In response to the opposition’s concerns, the Director of Publicity of the APC, Bala Ibrahim, dismissed the opposition’s fears, stating that Yilwatda’s emergence did not confer any undue advantage on the ruling party.
He said, “Is INEC a cult? Are political parties not engaging former INEC staff as advisers or consultants to work for them? There is nothing wrong with someone who worked somewhere before working for a political party.
“Who says a retired coach cannot be an adviser to a team? Are we saying a retired police officer cannot work as a security consultant in another organisation?
“Our national chairman was an ex-staff member of INEC, but he does not have access to any of the umpire’s facilities.
“His knowledge of INEC can help the party (APC) to avoid anything that can be a disadvantage to it.”
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