The North-Central All Progressives Congress Forum has cautioned the party’s national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, against attempting to block Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang, from joining the APC, insisting that such authority does not lie with him.
The Forum, which has been publicly encouraging the governor to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said resistance from some Plateau APC leaders is unnecessary and politically motivated.
The controversy deepened after Plateau APC leaders, at a stakeholders’ meeting on October 17, 2025, endorsed a motion opposing Muftwang’s potential defection.
The Forum alleges that Yilwatda, who was the APC’s governorship candidate in the 2023 election but lost to Muftwang, is behind the resistance because he intends to run again in 2027.
In a statement on Tuesday, by its Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, the Forum argued that Yilwatda’s role as national chairman does not include determining who joins the party.
The Forum accused him of misunderstanding the office he occupies and undermining the unity of the APC in the State, stating, “The national chairman of the party has no role to play in bringing Governor Caleb Mutfwang to the APC. It is only Mutfwang’s ward in Mangu that has the right to admit him as a member of the party.
“The national chairman should stop sponsoring groups to go to the media and to stage protests just to stop Muftwang from coming.
“He should be made to understand that he has no role to play in bringing the governor to the party. If Muftwang joins the APC today, he automatically becomes the leader of the party in Plateau State.
“So we, as stakeholders of the North-Central, advise him to stop undermining the office of national chairman and bringing dishonour to himself and Plateau State by sponsoring the campaign to stop Governor Mutfwang from coming to APC.
“He should stop using his position to harass and threaten to expel those who are calling on Muftwang to come to APC, which we believe is in the interest of the party.”
The Forum maintained that Muftwang has not yet defected because he is still consulting widely, not because of pressure from Yilwatda’s camp.
According to Zazzaga, the governor enjoys broad acceptance among Plateau residents, who would support whatever political decision he makes.
“For over two years now we have been trying to convince Muftwang to come to APC and he is doing his own consultations before taking a decision otherwise Professor Yilwatda has no right to stop him if he decides to come today.
“Muftwang has been accepted by the people of Plateau because of his good works and developmental initiatives.
“He is a true son of Plateau who is trying to defend the heritage of the people,” the Forum said.
It argued that the political dynamics in the state favour Muftwang, recalling that “the people of Plateau State understand both of them that is why they chose Muftwang over Yilwatda in 2023,” despite Yilwatda being “the chosen government candidate.”
Noting that any attempt to stop the governor from joining the party contradicts the APC constitution, the Forum urged the party chapter in Muftwang’s Mangu Ward to issue a formal public invitation to him.
“The fact of the matter is the national chairman has no right to stop Muftwang from coming. But the actions of those he is sponsoring cannot stop Muftwang if he makes up his mind today.
“We are calling on the APC chapter in Governor Mutfwang’s ward to come out publicly to ask him to join the party,” Zazzaga said.
The Forum added that Yilwatda should not attempt to revoke its certificate of registration, insisting that North-Central stakeholders will not be intimidated.
