Supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election group, Renewed Hope Advocates of Nigeria (RHAN) has raised alarm over what they describes as a politically dangerous move by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State, and the National Chairmàn of APC for an attempt to blocked the Plateau State Governor from Joining the APC.
In an open letter addressed to President Tinubu, The National Coordinator of RHAN, Comrade Prince Miaphen, criticised the party’s National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, for allegedly orchestrating a motion to bar Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State from defecting to the APC.
According to Miaphen, the motion was adopted at a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Jos, chaired by Professor Nentawe himself. While the meeting reportedly affirmed support for President Tinubu’s second-term bid, it paradoxically endorsed a move to reject the sitting governor’s potential defection a decision Miaphen described as “politically suicidal.”
“How can a party that celebrates the defection of governors in other regions suddenly turn hostile toward one in Plateau?” Miaphen wrote.
He warned that such actions could alienate Plateau’s 2.5 million registered voters, undermining the APC’s performance in a region critical to national victory in 2027. He also questioned the political maturity of the National Chairman, whom he accused of allowing personal grudges to interfere with national strategy.
“It raises questions about the competence, sincerity, and political maturity of the National Chairman and his caucus,” he said.
Miaphen argued that rather than blocking Governor Mutfwang, the APC should be actively courting him — especially given Tinubu’s record of inclusive leadership and bridge-building across party lines. He cited successful defections in states like Cross River, Ebonyi, and Zamfara as examples of how the President has strategically expanded the APC’s influence.
“Under your leadership, we have seen governors align with the APC, reinforcing your image as a President for all Nigerians.”
The letter further alleged that Professor Nentawe might be positioning himself for another gubernatorial bid in 2027, and that his actions could be driven by unresolved political bitterness following his loss in the 2023 elections.
Miaphen urged President Tinubu to intervene decisively and call the Plateau APC leadership to order, stating that failure to do so would risk internal sabotage of the President’s broader political goals.
“If the man charged with uniting the APC nationwide cannot reconcile himself with his own state’s political reality, then it is time to re-evaluate his capacity to lead.”
He called for political inclusion, particularly in a state he described as loyal to the President due to past interventions during crises and key federal appointments given to its indigenes.
