A significant political storm is brewing within the All Progressives Congress (APC). On Tuesday, stakeholders from the North-Central APC Forum publicly challenged the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda.
They declared that Yilwatda lacks the constitutional authority to prevent Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, from joining the ruling party.
Forum Calls for Presidential Intervention
The Forum has urged the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to act swiftly. They want him to coordinate with APC state governors in the North-Central zone. The goal is a direct meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
This meeting would formally review Yilwatda’s appointment as National Chairman. The Forum also appealed to governors from Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Niger states. They want these leaders to escalate the issue through the Progressive Governors Forum. The Chairman’s conduct, they said, distracts from party growth.
Divisions Emerge in Plateau APC
However, this move has created fractures within the Plateau State chapter of the APC. Executives and women’s groups in the state are strongly pushing back against Mutfwang’s potential defection.
On October 17, 2025, a key stakeholders meeting took place in Isolo, Lagos. Attendees endorsed a motion by former APC Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter. This motion rejected Mutfwang’s possible defection.
Days later, on November 23, the APC women’s wing reinforced this stance. At a political rally in Jos, they publicly rejected the defection proposal. They stated that the governor’s alleged plan to join the APC was unacceptable.
Allegations Against Chairman Yilwatda
The North-Central APC Forum accused Yilwatda of orchestrating media campaigns. These campaigns, they alleged, aimed to stop the governor’s defection. The Forum claimed the party chairman’s ambition to contest again in 2027 underpins his actions.
Yilwatda, they stated, engaged various groups. These groups reportedly organized protests and published media content. Such actions linked Mutfwang’s defection with “unacceptable damage.” The Forum stressed that these interventions also distort public perception of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.
Formal Demands and Warnings
In a communique, Forum Chairman Saleh Zazzaga outlined their position. He stated, “We are calling on the SGF, the Progressive Governors Forum, and the APC governors in the North-Central to quickly meet Mr President.”
The purpose is “to review Professor Nentawe Yilwatda as National Chairman because of his unsatisfactory performance.”
The Forum warned that Yilwatda’s opposition to Mutfwang’s defection could have serious consequences. It “could deprive the zone of future national appointments.”
The Forum insisted that the real power to accept any defector, including the governor, resides with his ward. Zazzaga clarified, “It is only Mutfwang’s ward in Mangu that has the right to admit him. The National Chairman has no role to play in bringing Governor Caleb Mutfwang to the party.”
Warning Against Inducing Protests
The Forum also issued a strong warning against the inducement of women for political protests. They cautioned that paying Plateau women “peanuts” for such demonstrations could expose them to danger. “Every right-thinking person should condemn this,” they stated. “It will expose women and their families to risk as criminals will think huge sums were paid.”
Commendation for Governor Uzodinma
The Forum, however, commended Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma. President Tinubu recently appointed him as Director-General for Party Outreach, Engagement, and Mobilisation. “This appointment justifies our position that the national chairman was not discharging his role effectively,” the forum said. They urged Uzodinma to lead a fresh push for the chairman’s review.
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