A group under the auspices of Concerned Plateau All Progressive Congress (APC) lagacy members has called for strong disciplinary action against individuals allegedly working to prevent Governor Caleb Mutfwang from joining the party.
The group said such actions undermine efforts to strengthen the APC ahead of future political contests.
Speaking at a press conference at the weekend in Jos, the group, in a text titled “Blocking Governor Mutfwang’s Intended Defection to APC Not in Party’s Interest,” read by Emmanuel Dankasa, urged the APC leadership to probe those behind the resistance.
The group insisted that those culpable should be sanctioned in line with party regulations.
The call followed recent developments in the state, where some APC members openly rejected Mutfwang’s proposed defection. The protesters had earlier declared at a press briefing that they did not want the governor admitted into the party.
A similar stance was recorded during an APC stakeholders’ meeting in Jos, attended by Nentawe Yilwatda, the party’s national chairman, where a motion was reportedly moved rejecting the governor’s entry into the APC. The move has further deepened internal divisions among party loyalists in the state.
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The group, however, argued that the individuals leading these protests are well known within the APC structure, and urged the party to verify their membership status. They maintained that if they are confirmed to be bona fide members, punitive measures should follow to preserve party discipline.
The group accused some APC stalwarts of alledgedly sponsoring those who are kicking against Mutfwang joining APC as a political party.
The group accused some unnamed APC stalwarts of allegedly sponsoring the protesters, describing the situation as a calculated attempt to embarrass the party and frustrate its expansion efforts.
They warned that failure to act would fuel suspicion that the protests were orchestrated by influential figures within the party.
The legacy members described the actions of the anti-Mutfwang protesters as “disgraceful political sabotage,” noting that they do not represent the views of genuine APC members in Plateau State.
According to them, the protests were carried out by individuals acting on behalf of vested interests rather than the wider party.
“Failure to fish out perpetrators of this disgraceful political suicide and sanction them accordingly, would leave discerning members of the society with no choice than to believe the protesters are mere pawns, executing sinister motives of vested interests within the party hierarchy.
“it is without doubt, that the protesters are persons known to the leadership of the APC in Plateau state, but wether such individuals are card-carrying members of the APC is a fact that needs to be investigated and if found to be so, be meted with sanctions proportionate to their actions”.
They added that APC members are shocked that a party working hard to grow its membership would tolerate protests aimed at shutting its doors to a sitting governor. They questioned why the party would spend large sums on receptions for defectors yet allow opposition to Mutfwang’s possible entry.
The group argued that Governor Mutfwang, like any Nigerian, has the constitutional right to choose a political platform and should not be subjected to discriminatory conditions. They urged the party hierarchy to reaffirm its commitment to inclusiveness and internal democracy.
The group noted that sanctioning those behind the protests would restore confidence among members and demonstrate that the APC remains open to all individuals willing to join and contribute to its progress.
