-
North-Central APC Forum has urged SGF George Akume and APC governors in the zone to meet President Tinubu to review Professor Nentawe Yilwatda’s appointment as national chairman.
-
The Forum accuses Yilwatda of blocking Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s planned defection to the APC and allegedly sponsoring protests and media campaigns against it.
-
It warns that Yilwatda’s leadership is hurting the region’s political prospects, insisting he lacks capacity and should step aside for a more competent replacement.
The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has called on party leaders in the zone to engage the region’s governors and meet with President Bola Tinubu for an immediate review of Professor Nentawe Yilwatda’s appointment as APC national chairman.
The Forum made the demand in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, amid growing tensions over the alleged moves by Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
ATTENTION: Click “HERE” to join our WhatsApp group and receive News updates directly on your WhatsApp!
According to the Forum, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, alongside APC governors in Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa and Niger, should interface with the Progressive Governors Forum to raise concerns about Yilwatda’s leadership style and seek a review of his appointment.
The group alleged that Yilwatda, who contested and lost the 2023 Plateau governorship election to Mutfwang, has been sponsoring protests and media campaigns to frustrate the governor’s defection bid because of his personal governorship ambition ahead of 2027.
It argued that such actions were undemocratic, unconstitutional, and damaging to the party’s prospects in the zone.
READ ALSO: Kano APC Stakeholders Back Tinubu for 2027 Presidential Ticket
“We are calling on the SGF, the Progressive Governors Forum, and APC governors in the North-Central to urgently meet the President and review the appointment of Professor Yilwatda as national chairman,” the Forum said. “His current performance could place the region at a disadvantage when major national appointments are considered.”
The group maintained that Yilwatda lacked the political experience and leadership capacity required for the role, noting that he had never served as a delegate, councillor, or party officer prior to his appointment.
It insisted that the national chairman had no authority to stop Mutfwang’s planned defection, stressing that only the governor’s ward in Mangu has the constitutional power to admit him as a member.
The Forum further accused Yilwatda of placing his personal political interests above the party’s collective goals, warning that obstructing Mutfwang’s defection could cost the APC its chances of capturing Plateau State in future elections.
In a related development, the Forum congratulated Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, on his new appointment by President Tinubu as Director-General for Party Outreach, Engagement and Mobilisation. It said the role further underscores Uzodinma’s leadership capacity and reinforces concerns over Yilwatda’s performance.
The group also criticised the reported payments allegedly made to women protesters in Plateau to oppose Mutfwang’s defection, warning that such actions could expose them to security risks and worsen the state’s fragile environment.
The Forum ended its statement by renewing its call for Yilwatda to step aside and focus on his 2027 governorship ambition rather than “leading the party into crisis.”
