Expect tough but necessary decisions — New APC chairman 

The new chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Yilwatda, has said he is prepared to make tough decisions that are necessary to position the party ahead of others.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today just hours after his emergence as the party’s national chairman in Abuja, Yilwatda made it clear that he wasn’t coming into the job to play it safe.

“The confidence they have in me is to make sure I take tough decisions but with gentility and teamwork for the collective interest of the party,” he said.

Yilwatda, who was the APC governorship candidate in Plateau State in 2023, said his leadership would be marked by wide consultations, calm but firm resolve, and a strong push for party unity.

He drew a parallel between himself and President Tinubu, saying both share a calm exterior but are willing to take bold actions.

“Look at the body language of Mr. President. Soft-talking, calm, gentle but look at where he is driving the country, taking tough decisions where people fear to even discuss,” Yilwatda said.

“Of course, I will do the same because that is what the president and party members are expecting me to do.”

Yilwatda said he would prioritize unifying the APC across all levels and actively work to woo governors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other opposition camps into the ruling fold.

“The priority right now is that the party is united,” he said, promising to push the APC’s manifesto to full implementation.

The new APC helmsman also spoke about his background and why he believes he is well-equipped for the job.

A registered engineer by profession, Yilwatda has been a university lecturer, served as a Resident Electoral Commissioner for INEC, and was recently the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs. A position he held until his latest appointment on Thursday.