The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has welcomed Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang, to the party, urging him to avoid a religious and ethnic agenda and work closely with President Bola Tinubu.
Muftwang recently announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
The North-Central APC Forum, which championed a campaign to convince Muftwang to defect to the APC, set agenda for the governor in a statement released by its Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, on Monday in Abuja.
The Forum restated its confidence in Muftwang’s capacity to take the APC to greater heights, adding that his coming to the ruling party is in the best interest of the people of Plateau.
However, the Forum, comprising APC stakeholders in the six North-Central states, advised the governor to do away with elements in his administration who have been championing ethnic and religious agenda in the state.
According to the statement signed by Zazzaga, a member of the APC campaign council in the 2023 election, such divisive ethnic and religious agenda should no longer be welcome in Muftwang’s APC “progressive” administration.
“We, the North-Central APC Forum, extend a warm welcome to Governor Caleb Muftwang as he formally joins the APC family, where unity, peace and progress flourish, and ethnic and religious differences are set aside.
“Our agitation to bring Governor Caleb Mutfwang to the APC was driven by our desire to keep him in an environment where unity thrives, away from the divisive influences of religious and ethnic differences that are obtainable in his former platform.
“We campaigned for Governor Muftwang’s defection because we know he has a good heart and really wants to develop the state. We know he means well for the people of Plateau.
“However, we observed that during his time in the PDP, some of the officials in his administration were promoting ethnic and religious differences. One of our main reasons for pushing for his defection to the APC was to separate him from people with such divisive mindset.
“Now that he is in the APC, we want him to carefully select and work with people who truly want the development of Plateau State – not those who are only interested in pushing ethnic and religious agenda,” the statement said.
The Forum further urged the governor to unite the people of the state and carry everybody along.
The North-Central APC Forum advised Muftwang to take full charge of his administration and eliminate any godfathers and individuals who seek to influence his government.
The statement added, “He should take charge of his administration. Before now, we know there are some people who had undue influence in his government. But having joined the progressive party, he should take charge and work for the people without any fear or favour.
“We enjoin him to feel free as a member of the APC, knowing full well that the Plateau people love him and are with him all the way.”
The Forum stressed that although it faced intimidation while campaigning for Muftwang’s coming to the APC, it did not relent because it knows the governor’s capacity to deliver.
Explaining why it led the campaign for Muftwang’s defection, the Forum said, “While campaigning for Governor Mutfwang to come to the APC, we faced a lot of intimidation and harassment from people who felt his coming would affect their chances of contesting the governorship election. But we persevered because we know what he stands for, and we are confident that his coming to the APC will not only strengthen the party and take it to greater heights, but it will also serve the best interests of the people of Plateau State.
“We know the people of Plateau will benefit if Governor Muftwang becomes part of the APC, and we are happy that our agitation was successful.
“We were the first to endorse President Bola Tinubu for another term in office, and we also promised him six million votes in 2027. This promise also informed our decision to campaign for Governor Muftwang’s coming to the APC because we know the people of Plateau are with him, and his coming will help to actualise the six million votes for Mr President.”
