By Our Correspondent
The Plateau North Equity Project (PNEP), a coalition of minority ethnic communities in Plateau North Senatorial District, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of sidelining its most loyal supporters in the zone through what it described as an unfair concentration of political offices in the hands of a single dominant ethnic group.
Addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Jos, leaders of the group through their spoke person, expressed concern over the party’s power-sharing arrangements ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that continued exclusion of minority groups could threaten the unity and electoral strength of the APC in Plateau State.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, PNEP said the organization was established to advocate equity, fairness, and balanced political representation across the six local government areas of Plateau North.
According to the group, minority ethnic communities in the zone have remained the electoral backbone of the APC since its formation in 2014 despite persistent political challenges and negative perceptions of the party.
“For many people in Plateau State, particularly the minority ethnic nationalities of Plateau North, the APC represented a platform for equity, fairness, justice and inclusiveness,” the group stated.
PNEP alleged that while minority communities consistently delivered votes for the APC, major political positions within the party and government structures continued to be ceded to a numerically advantaged ethnic group that has not demonstrated comparable electoral support for the party.
The group specifically cited the emergence of the APC State Chairman and the party’s senatorial candidate for Plateau North, arguing that opportunities to promote inclusivity and balance within the zone were ignored.
“When the position of APC State Chairman was zoned to Plateau North, PNEP and other stakeholders advocated for a process that would allow a qualified candidate from the minority ethnic nationalities to emerge as State Chairman. Unfortunately, these appeals were ignored,” the group said.
PNEP further expressed concern that if current political trends continue, the same ethnic group could simultaneously occupy the positions of Deputy Governor, Senator, State Party Chairman, and two of the three House of Representatives seats in Plateau North under the APC platform.
According to the coalition, such an arrangement undermines the principles of justice and inclusion that attracted many minority communities to the party.
“The minority ethnic nationalities of the zone deserve to be treated fairly as a matter of justice, inclusion and recognition of their enduring commitment to the APC,” PNEP stated.
The group described the situation as one in which “the goose that lays the golden egg is repeatedly neglected and made to watch from the sidelines,” despite its contribution to the growth and survival of the party in Plateau State.
PNEP also referenced assurances allegedly given by Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, following his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, noting that party members had welcomed his pledge not to take over the party structure but to add value to it.
However, the coalition argued that recent developments within the APC have contradicted those assurances.
“Nothing can be more demoralizing than seeing those who once claimed they wanted to add value to the APC now midwifing a process that has excluded the very communities that supported the founding, nurturing, promotion and sustenance of the APC through their unwavering loyalty and electoral strength,” the group said.
PNEP called on APC leaders and stakeholders to embrace a more inclusive political framework ahead of the 2027 elections, warning that continued exclusion of minority groups could have implications for the party’s future in Plateau North and across the state.
“As the APC looks ahead to the 2027 general elections, it must confront a critical question: Can a party truly thrive when its most loyal supporters are consistently denied meaningful representation?” the coalition asked.
The group said it remains committed to pursuing its demands through peaceful advocacy and constructive engagement with political stakeholders.
