The North-Central All Progressives Congress, or APC, Forum has expressed sorrow for advocating for a local candidate to be the APC’s national chairman.
Adamu Abdullahi, a former governor of Nasarawa, emerged when the APC national chairman position was assigned to the North-Central at the party’s convention in 2022. However, Abdullahi Ganduje, a former governor of Kano State in the Northwest, was named the party’s national chairman after he resigned in 2023 before serving out his entire term.
A movement to return the position to the zone was started by the North-Central APC Forum, a coalition of APC stakeholders from the North-Central states. The Forum organized a number of press conferences, protests, rallies, comments, and letters to the Progressive Governors Forum and other party organs regarding the topic.
Professor Nentawe Yilwatda from Plateau State in the North-Central was eventually named the party’s national chairman on July 24, 2025.
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The North-Central APC Forum, however, has expressed dissatisfaction with Yilwatda’s performance, pointing out that he has not proven he is capable of leading the party. The APC national chairman was also charged by the Forum with advancing a religious agenda and abusing his position to further his own political goals in Plateau State.
Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, the chairman of the North-Central APC Forum, made a statement on Sunday in Abuja. The statement was made in response to a video footage of Yilwatda claiming to be speaking on behalf of North-Central Christians during a church service.
The APC Forum condemned Yilwatda’s behavior and apologized to everyone it had harmed while pushing for the North-Central to regain the party’s national chairmanship.
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The statement said, “We, the North-Central APC Forum, regret our agitation for the return of the position of APC national chairman to the North-Central region.” In light of the uproar, we sincerely apologize to the party leaders we offended. We extend our apologies to Mr. President, previous national chairman Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, and other party officials.
“We made this decision because the North-Central candidate for APC national chairman, who was appointed as a result of our agitation, has not demonstrated the ability to manage such a delicate role and guide the party to new heights. He has demonstrated his inability to bring the North-Central people together.
“The national chairman has been observed adopting a sectional religious stance on delicate matters, despite the fact that the North-Central area is secular. He claimed to be speaking on behalf of the North-Central Christians in a widely shared video clip. Both national and party values are at odds with this. Furthermore, taking such a stance is against our nation’s leadership.
After taking these concerns into account, we have made the decision to make an apology for insisting that a member of the North-Central be appointed as the APC’s national chairperson. We feel bad about what we did. We fought for that position to return to North-Central for a full year in court, a full year and a half, and a lot of money. Eventually, Mr. President and the party officials heard our cries.
“As we were the only group involved in the agitation, we are apologizing.”
The APC Forum pointed out that Yilwatda, who has never been elected as a delegate or councillor, lacked the necessary political experience to serve as the party’s national chairman.
When the party first planned a national convention in December 2025, the North-Central APC stakeholders encouraged President Tinubu to designate a more capable individual from any zone as national chairman.
“Unfortunately, the position was given to somebody that does not understand politics—someone that has not been in politics for long,” the statement continued. He has only been in politics for around three years. Even as a council member or delegate, he has never been elected. Therefore, he shouldn’t be in such a prominent position. He has no idea how to bring people together or how to communicate. The unity party members in Plateau State and the North Central were dispersed by his handling of the issue.
“We also urge Mr. President to relocate the APC national chairman position to any other zone in December, provided that the chosen individual is capable of ensuring the party’s success. We implore Mr. President to designate a capable individual from any zone to head the party, even if the convention does not take place in December as scheduled.
The Forum emphasized that its pledge to provide Tinubu with six million votes from the North-Central in 2027 would not be impacted by the absence of the zone’s national chairman.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Attorney-General of the Federation are among the positions held by the North-Central that are sufficient to support the party in the zone. The North-Central Development Commission is another organization. In order to cast votes for Mr. President in 2027, we do not require the office of APC national chairman. Mr. President, we have previously assured you that we will deliver, and we will keep our word.
Similarly, the APC Forum said that Yilwatda is the driving force behind the opposition to Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s potential APC defection. The Forum has been supporting an effort to persuade Muftwang to switch from the PDP to the APC. However, the Plateau State APC leadership has been against the plan, issuing a resolution to deny the governor’s arrival.
Yilwatda is preventing Mutfwang from running for Plateau governor in 2027, according to the Forum. In 2023, Yilwatda ran as an APC candidate for governor of Plateau, but Muftwang of the PDP defeated him.
Yilwatda was instructed by the North-Central APC Forum to step down as national chairman of the party and pursue his goal of becoming governor. Yilwatda was also charged with using his position to undermine the North-Central APC Forum’s party support group certificate, which has been in place since 2018.
“The national chairman is preventing Governor Caleb Mutfwang from joining the party because he intends to run for Plateau State governor once more in 2027. We are urging Muftwang to defect to the APC, which we think is best for the party, so he is funding people to attack us.
Therefore, we are also requesting that the national chairman resign from his role and focus on his desire to run for governor of Plateau State in 2027. The remark went on, “If he is a true leader, he shouldn’t prevent people from joining to bolster the party.”
