The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has appointed Humanitarian Affairs Minister, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, as National Chairman of the party, whose Governors President. Ola Tinubu charged to “wet the ground” for their people who are complaining of economic hardship.
This was at the NEC meeting of the ruling party which held at the Banquet Hall of the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Thursday.
Yilwatda, from Plateau State, replaces Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, who resigned last June 27, after the party apparatchiks took a decision to zone the slot to the Northcentral zone of the country.
Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state, moved a motion for the nomination of Yiltwada, and he was seconded by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Tajudeen Abbas.
The motion was unanimously adopted by the meeting including the appointments of the party’s National Legal Adviser, Professor Karim Kana as the new National Deputy Secretary; and Barrister Murtala from Katsina State as the new National Legal Adviser.
In his remarks, President Tinubu tasked governors of the APC to intensify efforts in delivering meaningful development to the grassroots, noting that Nigerians are still expressing discontent with the pace of governance and the dividends of democracy, emphasizing the need for urgent, people-focused governance at the sub-national level.
“Nigerians are still complaining at the grassroots. To you the governors, you have to wet the grass more and lead the way in delivering progressive change to Nigerians. We need to strengthen our grassroots mobilisation and unity. We must not relent”, he said.
Tinubu acknowledged the votes of confidence passed on him by various party chapters, saying such expressions of trust should inspire greater commitment across all levels of government.
“I am deeply grateful for the confidence vote expressed today and the ones already expressed at the zonal chapters. We must meet regularly to strengthen our grassroots mobilisation and unity,” he said.
He assured party leaders that the government’s reforms were beginning to bear fruit, adding that the nation was now on a more stable economic path, saying that “we have seen the trend of economic trajectories, and I promise you that as the President, I will continue to work harder and make sure that the essence of our party is not forgotten. Now that the economy is stabilised, there’s no other fear for the country except upward movement and sustained growth — I can assure you”.
The President also revealed plans to construct a new national secretariat for the party, describing the current Muhammadu Buhari House in Wuse II, Abuja, as inadequate.
“We should leave a legacy of development. The governors are here — 23 of them — to help identify with the Minister of the FCT, and we should put a committee together of Progressive Governors to find an appropriate land for a befitting secretariat,” Tinubu proposed.
On security, he said “you can see the fear is going down, but we still have to be very serious and vigilant. We must put additional investment in our people, retain them, and ensure they feel accommodated. Security is not negotiable.”
President Tinubu welcomed Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, as well as other political leaders who recently joined the APC, assuring them that the party’s doors remain open.
In his acceptance speech, Yiltwada pledged to unify all organs and participants of the party nationwide, saying that “I pledge without hesitation that I will work with everybody in the party, unite the party, build the party, expand party with you as the focus and the building block and the support I will require to drive the party as needed by all of us so that we can fulfil the dream of Nigerians who have reposed their hope in the renewed hope agenda”.
