Party members in Plateau State had staged a protest in Jos during a reception organised to welcome new defectors from opposition parties. The protesters, carrying placards, openly rejected the possibility of Governor Mutfwang joining the APC.

Reacting to the development, the APC Forum, through a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, faulted the protest and the message behind it.

The Forum said it was wrong for any individual or group to prevent anyone, including a sitting governor, from joining a political party of their choice. According to the statement, such actions go against democratic principles and undermine internal party unity.

Zazzaga explained that the Forum had consistently encouraged Governor Mutfwang to consider joining the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that his membership would strengthen the party in the state.

He urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and call party leaders resisting the move to order, stressing that their actions could jeopardise the party’s future prospects.

The Forum also warned that it would escalate the matter to President Tinubu if the internal resistance continued, insisting that no one should be allowed to block Governor Mutfwang’s entry into the party.

The post It’s Undemocratic to Stop Anyone From Joining Any Party — APC Forum appeared first on CLUSTERCHANNEL.

The Forum’s reaction follows remarks made by Yilwatda during an interview on Arise TV, where he dismissed the group and questioned its legitimacy.

It would be recalled that the Forum had earlier faulted Yilwatda’s approach to addressing the humanitarian crisis in Plateau, especially the plight of displaced persons after herdsmen attacks.

Responding on Arise TV, Yilwatda downplayed the Forum, describing it as “an unrecognized entity” and questioning the membership status of its chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga.

He also accused the Forum of being in the habit of attacking party leaders, including himself, APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.

In a statement on Saturday, the Forum said:
“Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda said we attacked him. That is absolutely not true. As committed stakeholders of the APC in the North-Central, we advised him to put in more effort at addressing humanitarian challenges in the region, especially the displacement of thousands of people in Plateau, his home state.”

“We felt it was necessary that we speak out because of the travails of our people who have been left helpless and hopeless, without any assistance, after being displaced from their homes.”

Zazzaga explained: “We offered the advice because we understand that he is relatively new in the political system, so those of us who have been in the system for long felt obligated to help out in the way we can. It was an advice and not an attack as he wrongfully interpreted.”

The Forum blamed Yilwatda’s refusal to heed advice as a major reason APC lost both the governorship and presidential elections in Plateau.

“One of the reasons APC lost both presidential and governorship election in Plateau was because he instructed his associates to vote for Labour Party in the presidential election.”

According to the Forum, Yilwatda’s candidacy in the governorship primaries did not reflect the popular will of party members and was largely the result of internal party arrangements.

On claims of not recognizing the Forum, it stated:
“The North-Central APC Forum has its structure in the entire region with membership cutting across various sectors. We have former senators and members of the House of Representatives, former commissioners, professors, activists, entrepreneurs, traditional and religious leaders and others as members.”

The group further said it did not attack Ganduje or Akume, explaining that it only agitated for fairness and inclusion when the party chairmanship was zoned to the North-Central.

Chairman of the Forum, Zazzaga, also dismissed claims that Yilwatda was unaware of his membership in the APC. He stated:
“Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda said he don’t know if I am a member of the APC. That is not true. He knows very well that I served as a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 election.”

The Forum also announced the withdrawal of a 7-day ultimatum previously issued to the Plateau APC EXCO, apologizing for the misunderstanding.

Despite the tensions, the Forum maintained its call for Governor Caleb Mutfwang to return to the APC, citing his political experience and popularity in the state.

The post North-Central APC Forum Blames Minister Yilwatda for Party’s Defeat in Plateau, Denies Attacks appeared first on CLUSTERCHANNEL.

The panel was established during a State Working Committee (SWC) meeting held on Monday in Jos, which was presided over by the APC State Chairman, Rt. Hon. Rufus Bature.

According to a statement by Shittu Bamaiyi, Acting Publicity Secretary of the Party, the SWC said the move became necessary to ensure the matter is properly investigated and handled according to the party’s constitution.

“Rising from its meeting in Jos this afternoon, the State Working Committee of the Party saw the need to thoroughly investigate the allegations raised against Alhaji Saleh,” Bamaiyi stated.

He added that the party was concerned by recent developments on social media, which painted a negative picture of the party’s internal cohesion.

“It is sad that last weekend, particularly the social media, was awash with unpleasant reports, which to some extent portrayed, as if all is not well with the Party,” he said.

The statement emphasized that the issue could not be ignored and must be addressed seriously in line with laid down rules and procedures.

“The unfortunate development cannot be dismissed with the wave of the hand and as such, needs to be handled according to the dictates of the Party’s Constitution,” Bamaiyi noted.

The investigative panel has been mandated to determine the truth behind the allegations and whether Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga is culpable.

“Accordingly, the meeting resolved that an investigative panel be set up to determine the veracity or otherwise of alleged offence as well as the culpability of Alhaji Saleh, in line with the Party’s guidelines,” he stated.

Chairman Bature urged the panel to be impartial and deliver their findings within two weeks, as provided by the party’s constitution.

After the panel’s constitution, Bature also took time to appreciate the contributions of Plateau delegates at the APC National Summit and North-Central Zonal meeting held in Abuja.

In conclusion, the party applauded its members for their continued loyalty and unwavering support, even in the face of internal challenges.

The post APC Sets Up Panel to Probe Alleged Anti-Party Acts by Saleh Zazzaga appeared first on CLUSTERCHANNEL.

Saleh Mandung Zazzaga, the Chairman of the North Central APC Forum, stated in a statement that the call became imperative to advance the APC’s progressive outreach.

The letter titled, “Invitation of Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State to join APC”, noted that in recent times they have made several consultations and also met with many chieftains of their party from Plateau State and the North Central region in general, to work out modalities on extending their invitation to governor Mutfwang, upon which they have reached out to him already through the media.

“Consequent upon this, it is also pertinent to formally notify you of our invitation to him (Mutfwang) to join the APC, and a formal letter to this effect will also be delivered to him hereafter, and to the Plateau State APC, as well as his ward in Mangu local government area,” the letter explained.

It stated that the call for Mutfwang to join the APC would enable the party to recollect Plateau State which they lost to the PDP in the 2023 election after being in charge since 2015.

According to the letter, Governor Mutfwang’s developmental efforts, his acceptability in the state, his approach towards boosting peace and security of the state and his progressive personality have been impressive.

The letter said, “Besides, Governor Mutfwang is the only governor from the North Central who is not of the APC, and it is necessary to bring him on board so that he can be on the same page with his other counterparts in the North Central, and together they will have a common ground and work for the interest and development of the region in general and their specific states in particular.”

“By and large, our quest to push for the success of our party in the North Central region and in the nation at large cannot be overemphasized, and we are often poised to double our untiring efforts at all times,” the letter observed.

The post APC Sends Letter of Invite To Plateau Gov, Mutfwang  appeared first on CLUSTERCHANNEL.