Prof Nentawe Lacks ‘Gravitas’ To Be APC Chair- Ex- Presidential Aide

A former Presidential aide, Laolu Akande has questioned the qualification of Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda as the National Chairman of the ruling All Progress Congress, APC. He said the APC boss does not have the “gravitas” to superintend the affairs of Nigeria’s ruling party.

Akande, a former spokesman to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration made the remark on Channels Television programme on Thursday, saying Prof Nentawe became the National Chairman of the party as a result of the benevolent of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The former presidential aide also criticized the APC chairman over his recent comment that non APC members will no longer be appointed into government starting from 2027.
Prof. Nentawe spoke on Tuesday night in Abuja at an event tagged “Renewed Hope Promise Kept 2027: Meet and Greet North-West Mobilisation,” organised by the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo.

The remark, according to sources, has riled not a few officials in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly non APC members.

The magazine had earlier reported that Nentawe, a former Senator was picked through consensus to become the party’s boss, to replace Abdulllahi Ganduje, a former governor of Kano state, who many believed was forced by the president to vacate the position last year.
The professor was said to have been handpicked by the president among other aspirants who have indicated interest in the position, including a former governor of Nasarawa state, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura who said during one of his interviews with journalist that he was prepared to do whatever the president said. The president never looked on his side, instead Tinubu picked Prof Nentawe, who according to many lacksed the experience required to chair the biggest party in the country.
According to Akande, the current APC National Chairman does not have what it takes to run the ruling party in the country, saying he’s only there because that’s what President Tinubu wants.
He stressed that the professor does not command respect of the president, referencing the late National Chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, NPN Adisa Akinloye, known to be very influential and powerful when he ran the affairs of the ruling party during Nigeria’s Second Republic.
“President Shehu Shagari used to leave the the Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting to pick the calls of Akionloye,” Akande said, wondering whether Prof Nentawe command such respect from Tinubu.
In a viral video now generating furore on social media, Prof Nentawe had said that non APC members will no longer be considered for federal appointments after the 2027 elections. He has been widely criticized by not a few Nigerians who said government appointments should not only be for party members, that it should also be merit-based, notwithstanding your party affiliation.

Nentawe: “As party chairman, I will stand strong to defend the position that if you are not prepared to join us, you shouldn’t be given an appointment. If you are a technocrat, go and be a consultant.
“Government policies are campaign promises that must be defended, explained, and promoted by those implementing them. Appointees cannot divorce themselves from party objectives,”