by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The Plateau North Equity Project (PNEP) – a peaceful advocacy initiative of minority tribes in Plateau North Senatorial District – has called on the State Government to look into the issue of what it described as “imbalance of leadership positions” affecting mostly Jos North.
PNEP is committed to promoting equitable, fair and just balancing of power across the six Local Government Areas of the Plateau North.
Led by Arom Daniel Izang, PNEP expressed their concern on Thursday at the NUJ Press Center Jos, when they noted that, “For too long, leadership positions have been concentrated in one dominant tribe in Plateau North,” adding that, “True democracy, however, thrives on inclusion, balance, and shared responsibility.”
Izang said, “Plateau North Equity Project (PNEP) firmly believes that 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.”
He stressed that, “For years, these communities have provided the electoral backbone of the party in Plateau North and, arguably, across Plateau State. Yet, when it comes to elective positions, the goose that lays the golden egg is repeatedly neglected and made to watch from the sidelines.
“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 by their unwavering loyalty and electoral strength.
“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 answer to this question may well determine not only the future of the APC in Plateau North but also the strength and unity of the party across Plateau State,” he said.
“It is against this backdrop that PNEP addresses the press to conscientize the general public on the plight of the minority tribes, with a view to drawing attention to the imbalance in Plateau North.”
According to him, “The All-Progressives Congress (APC) party emerged as a formidable political force in Plateau State, following the struggle to preserve the rotational governorship arrangement, in 2015.
“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,” he said.
He noted, with dismay, that, “Even when the party’s policies and programmes became increasingly difficult to market due to persistent narratives portraying the APC as a ‘Janjaweed party,’ the minority ethnic nationalities of Plateau North remained steadfast in their loyalty to the APC.”
Evangelist Izang further observed that, “This unwavering support stood in stark contrast to the attitude of the numerically-advantaged ethnic community in the zone, who kept a distance from the APC and has continued to do so.”
He further explained, thus: “Indeed, since the formation of the APC, in 2014, records from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have consistently shown that a significant proportion of the party’s electoral strength in Plateau North has come from the minority ethnic communities.
“Yet, in the spirit of fairness and inclusivity, rather than political reward, key positions were often ceded to members of the demographically-dominant community. Despite these concessions, the expected electoral support from that constituency never materialized.”
Furthermore, Isang said, “Following the political developments that unfolded after the 2023 elections and Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s movement from the PDP to the APC, the Governor repeatedly assured party members and stakeholders that he had not come to take over the APC but rather to ‘add value’ to it. Those assurances were welcomed by many loyal party members.
“However, events surrounding the recent APC primary elections in Plateau State have left many party faithful, especially among the minority ethnic nationalities of Plateau North, deeply concerned. As preparations begin for the 2027 general elections, the proverbial goose that laid the golden egg appears relegated to return home empty-handed.
“It was against this backdrop that the Plateau North Equity Project (PNEP) emerged as a peaceful and organized coalition of minority ethnic communities predominantly located in Bassa, Jos East, Jos North, and the Ibaas and Ganawuri communities of Barkin-Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas, respectively. The coalition was born out of shared experiences and is driven by an unwavering commitment to equity, justice, fairness, and political inclusion.
“When the position of APC State Chairman was zoned to Plateau North and, considering that both the Deputy Governor and the Senator representing Plateau North already emerged from the numerically-advantaged community in the zone, PNEP and other stakeholders advocated for a process that would allow a qualified candidate from the minority ethnic nationalities to emerge as State Chairman.
“Such an outcome would have helped balance the power equation within the zone and reinforced the party’s commitment to inclusivity. Unfortunately, these appeals were ignored.
“As if that were not enough, the process leading to the emergence of the APC’s senatorial candidate for Plateau North was also midwifed to favour the same numerically-advantaged community.
“If elected, this would be the eighth out of nine times that the numerically-advantaged community would occupy the Senate seat of Plateau North since 1999. In addition to this, the same community currently controls two of the three House of Representatives seats in the zone,” Izang revealed.