Forum condemns protest against Mutfwang’s possible defection

The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has criticised the protest staged in Jos on Saturday by some members of the Plateau State chapter of the party opposing the possible defection of Governor Caleb Mutfwang to the APC. The Forum has been publicly encouraging the governor to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the […]

The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has criticised the protest staged in Jos on Saturday by some members of the Plateau State chapter of the party opposing the possible defection of Governor Caleb Mutfwang to the APC.

The Forum has been publicly encouraging the governor to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC ahead of the 2027 elections. However, some Plateau APC stakeholders have expressed reservations about receiving the governor into the party.

During an event held in Jos to receive new members from other political parties, a group of party members protested, displaying placards rejecting the idea of Mutfwang joining the APC.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the North-Central APC Forum described the protest as contrary to democratic principles, stressing that every Nigerian, including a sitting governor, has the constitutional right to join any political party.

The statement, signed by the Forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, said it believes Mutfwang’s entry into the APC would strengthen the party in Plateau State. It also urged President Bola Tinubu to address concerns raised within the Plateau chapter regarding the governor’s possible defection.

Part of the statement read: “The North-Central APC Forum notes with concern the protest organised by some Plateau APC members during the reception of decampees in Jos. While reaffirming our call for Governor Mutfwang to join the APC, we maintain that no individual should be prevented from joining any political party of their choice.”

The Forum appealed to party leaders at the national and state levels to ensure that the APC remains open to all prospective members. It also called on the leadership of the Progressive Governors Forum to support efforts to strengthen the party in Plateau State.

The Forum further emphasised that internal disagreements over membership should be resolved through dialogue and party mechanisms, not through public protests.

It recalled that in October, a resolution opposing the governor’s possible defection was passed at a Plateau APC stakeholders’ meeting, a development the Forum previously criticised on the grounds that some stakeholders were not represented at the meeting.

The North-Central APC Forum reiterated its position that strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 general election requires unity, inclusiveness, and broad-based support.