‘Stop Blocking People!’ – APC Forum Slams Yilwatda For Alleged Power Play In Plateau Politics

According to Ireporter Online, the North-Central Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the party’s national chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, of undermining efforts to strengthen the party in the region. In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the group’s chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, expressed regret over their earlier push for the national chairmanship to be returned to the North-Central, insisting that Yilwatda has not demonstrated the leadership expected of the office.

The Forum alleged that the chairman has been blocking Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, from defecting to the APC, claiming Yilwatda is driven more by personal political ambitions than by the party’s collective interest. Zazzaga also accused him of promoting a divisive religious posture, referencing a video in which Yilwatda, speaking in a church, claimed to be representing Christians in the region—remarks the Forum described as contrary to the inclusive ethos of the APC.

The group said its dissatisfaction stems from what it considers Yilwatda’s inability to unify the North-Central or manage party affairs effectively. They argued that he lacks the political experience necessary for national leadership, noting that he has never been elected even at the lowest levels of political representation. According to the Forum, his approach has intensified political tensions both in Plateau State and across the zone.

The Forum appealed to President Bola Tinubu to ensure that a more competent national chairman emerges at the APC’s planned December 2025 national convention, even if the position goes to another region. Despite their grievances, the group pledged to mobilise six million votes for President Tinubu in the 2027 elections, noting that the region already enjoys significant federal appointments such as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The group further alleged that Yilwatda is resisting Governor Mutfwang’s entry into the APC because he plans to contest the Plateau governorship again in 2027, after losing to Mutfwang in 2023. They urged him to step aside if he intends to pursue his own political ambitions and accused him of attempting to nullify the recognition certificate the Forum received in 2018. The statement added that a genuine leader would welcome more stakeholders into the party rather than exclude them.