Former Minister Solomon Dalung Criticizes Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s Apology to Igbos as Reckless and Irresponsible
A former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has publicly rebuked Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang for issuing an apology to the Igbo community.
Governor Mutfwang had stated that he apologised to the Igbos so that past grievances could be laid to rest and unity fostered. He claimed that Plateau residents were misled into participating in the Nigerian Civil War and expressed regret over the conflict, urging stronger ties between Plateau and the Igbo people.
Dalung, however, took to his Facebook page to argue that the governor overstepped his bounds. He asserted that Mutfwang neither possessed the moral nor the constitutional authority to apologise on behalf of the people of Plateau State.
The former minister emphasised that the governor’s remarks did not reflect the collective viewpoint of Plateau residents and amounted to an unilateral historical revision.
Dalung further criticised the claim that Plateau indigenes were “cajoled” into fighting during the civil war, describing it as devoid of historical context. He demanded that the governor retract the statement within 72 hours and apologise to the people of Plateau for what he labelled a reckless and irresponsible act.
Adding a personal note, Dalung revealed that he lost two uncles in the Nigerian Civil War—relatives who had sponsored his education. He said their deaths profoundly impacted his academic journey and that he could not stay silent while their sacrifice was characterised as the result of coercion.
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