ABUJA, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party has elected Nentawe Yilwatda, minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction, as its new national chairman, following the recent resignation of the former leader.
Yilwatda and two others were elected unanimously on Thursday to fill vacant positions in the party during the 14th Meeting of the National Executive Committee, the second-highest decision-making body of the political group, held in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.
"I do not take this mandate for granted. I accept it with gratitude and a complete sense of responsibility, determined to work ... to build and strengthen our party," said Yilwatda.
Speaking at the meeting, President Bola Tinubu called on the new leadership of the party and state governors to focus more on grassroots engagement to meet the expectations of Nigerians.
Tinubu said the APC has now stabilized the economy, adding it will not relent in the effort to achieve the national goal of "food sovereignty" for the most populous country in Africa.
"It is not easy to navigate the stormy waters of economic instability. Now, the economy is stabilized. There is no fear for the country except for continued upward movement and sustained growth," he said.
Regarding security, Tinubu noted that significant efforts have been made to restore safety across Nigeria, adding that "thousands of terrorists and bandits have been neutralized." ■