APC Forum Accuses Tinubu of ‘Rewarding the Wrong People’ in Plateau Amid Push to Woo Governor Mutfwang

A political rift is widening within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State as the North-Central APC Forum accuses President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of giving key federal appointments to individuals who “did not work” for his 2023 election victory.

The Forum issued a strongly worded statement on Thursday, insisting that those benefiting from Tinubu’s appointments are neither grassroots mobilisers nor loyal party supporters — and in some cases, failed to win their polling units. The group urged the president to intervene urgently, warning that the situation could undermine efforts to strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 polls.

Their criticism comes amid an internal revolt within the Plateau APC over the potential defection of Governor Caleb Mutfwang from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). While the Forum has been campaigning to bring the governor into the APC, key Plateau APC leaders have rejected the idea, passing a resolution to block his entry.

Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, a member of the APC 2023 campaign council, signed the statement, accusing some Plateau politicians of sabotaging efforts to recruit Mutfwang because they plan to run for office in 2027.

The Forum argued that recent appointments from Plateau — including those given to APC National Chairman and former minister, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, and newly nominated minister Dr Bernard Mohammed Doro — do not reflect the contributions made by loyal party members during the election.

Zazzaga said it was “glaring” that individuals who failed to deliver their units for the APC in 2023 were now holding powerful national positions.

“These people that are being nominated for federal appointments from Plateau State did not even win their polling units in the last election,” the statement said. “In most of their polling units, the candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, won.”

The Forum also questioned how the APC’s 2023 governorship running mate — who reportedly lost his ward and unit — is being considered for federal roles.

The group insists that drafting Governor Mutfwang into the APC is crucial to securing the six million votes they previously pledged from the North-Central for Tinubu’s second-term bid.

“We are pushing for Governor Mutfwang to join the APC because we need him,” Zazzaga stated, accusing unnamed party leaders of blocking the governor’s entry “because they want to contest elections even when they know they don’t have the capacity to win.”

The Forum urged Tinubu to scrutinise the 2023 election results from Plateau to verify its claims and warned that continued internal sabotage could weaken the party.

“They are not telling him the truth,” the statement added. “We don’t want cracks in the APC. Mr President must intervene quickly.”