Yilwatda begins a two-week leave abroad as APC intensifies preparations for the 2027 elections and plans its next phase of strategy
Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, began a two-week vacation outside Nigeria on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, after what the ruling party described as an exceptionally demanding first year in office.
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The announcement was contained in a statement signed by Abimbola Tooki, Special Adviser to the APC national chairman on Media and Information Strategy.
The party said the break was intended to allow Yilwatda to rest, rejuvenate and reflect ahead of an increasingly demanding electoral period.
Yilwatda became APC national chairman in July 2025, succeeding former chairman Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. The APC’s official records currently list Yilwatda as the party’s national chairman.
Since assuming the position, Yilwatda has been involved in extensive consultations with the party’s National Working Committee, governors, members of the National Assembly, state executives, elected officials and other stakeholders.
According to the statement, the period has also involved extensive travelling, strategic meetings and internal party engagements as the APC positions itself ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party said Yilwatda’s tenure had so far overseen several significant activities, including the organisation and conclusion of the APC National Convention, the strengthening of internal party structures and primary elections at different levels.
The APC described those developments as important milestones that had helped consolidate the party’s position ahead of the next general elections.
The chairman’s Yilwatda two-week leave, however, is not expected to interrupt the running of the party.
“Far from being a disengagement from party affairs, the vacation provides the National Chairman with an opportunity to step back briefly from the intensity of day-to-day activities, recharge and reflect on the enormous responsibilities ahead,” the statement said.
The party added that Yilwatda would use the period to “rest, retool and further sharpen his strategic thinking” as preparations for the 2027 elections gather pace.
A major item on his agenda during the break is also expected to be the forthcoming National Working Committee retreat.
The retreat is expected to give the NWC an opportunity to review the party’s performance, examine emerging challenges and develop strategies for the months ahead.
It will also focus on improving coordination within the NWC and strengthening the APC’s readiness for what promises to be a highly competitive electoral season.
The decision to take time away comes as political activity across Nigeria intensifies ahead of the 2027 elections, with opposition parties and political blocs increasingly positioning themselves for the contest.
The APC remains the governing party at the federal level, with President Bola Tinubu expected to seek re-election in 2027.
The party therefore faces the task of maintaining its nationwide political structure while managing internal interests and preparing for another presidential campaign.
The statement defended the chairman’s decision to take a break, arguing that effective political leadership requires periods of reflection alongside constant engagement.
“Leadership, especially at the level of a national political party, requires not only constant engagement but also periods of reflection, strategic assessment and renewal,” the statement said.
The APC stressed that Yilwatda’s absence from Nigeria would not affect the party’s operations.
“His temporary absence from the country does not in any way affect the operations or functioning of the party, as the National Working Committee continues to discharge its responsibilities in accordance with the party’s constitution and established procedures,” it added.
Yilwatda’s political career has included serving as the APC governorship candidate in Plateau State during the 2023 election and later as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development before taking over as national chairman.
His brief leave therefore comes at a critical point in his chairmanship, with the APC entering a period in which party unity, candidate management and electoral preparation are likely to remain central to its strategy.
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The party said Yilwatda would return from the break focused on the next phase of its development, including preparations for the NWC retreat and the wider task of positioning the APC for the 2027 elections.
