A coalition of minority ethnic nationalities in Plateau North Senatorial District under the aegis of the Plateau North Equity Project (PNEP) has called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to reserve the party’s deputy governorship position for the minority communities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group, while addressing a press conference at the NUJ in Jos on Thursday, lamented what it described as the continued exclusion of minority ethnic groups from key political positions despite their longstanding support for the APC.
The group spokesperson Evangelist Arum Daniel Izang during the Press Conference , said the minority communities had remained the electoral backbone of the APC in Plateau North since the party’s formation in 2014 but had consistently been denied commensurate political representation.
According to him, the Plateau North Equity Project was established to advocate equity, fairness and justice in the distribution of political offices across the six local government areas that make up the senatorial district.
He said, “For years, leadership positions have remained concentrated in one numerically advantaged ethnic group within Plateau North, while minority communities that have consistently delivered votes for the APC have been sidelined.
“The APC was embraced by minority ethnic nationalities because it represented equity, justice, fairness and inclusiveness. However, recent developments within the party have raised serious concerns about the future of those ideals”
Izang recalled that despite allegations and narratives targeted at the APC over the years, minority ethnic groups in Plateau North remained loyal to the party and contributed significantly to its electoral fortunes.
He noted that records from the Independent National Electoral Commission showed that much of the party’s electoral strength in the zone originated from minority communities
The group expressed disappointment over the outcome of recent APC internal processes, particularly the emergence of party officials and candidates from the same dominant ethnic bloc.
According to PNEP, efforts by stakeholders to ensure that the APC State Chairmanship position, which was zoned to Plateau North, was occupied by a qualified candidate from the minority ethnic nationalities were ignored.
The coalition further alleged that the process leading to the emergence of the APC senatorial candidate for Plateau North also favoured the same ethnic group.
“If elected, this will make it the eighth time out of nine electoral cycles since 1999 that the Senate seat of Plateau North has been occupied by the same community,” the group claimed.
PNEP also pointed out that the community currently occupies two of the three House of Representatives seats in the zone, describing the development as a growing political imbalance.
The coalition warned that allowing the same ethnic bloc to control the deputy governorship, Senate seat, APC state chairmanship and majority of federal legislative positions would undermine the principles of inclusiveness and justice.
“Our concern is that a political landscape is gradually emerging where one community is strategically positioned to dominate virtually all major political offices under the APC in Plateau North, despite its relatively poor electoral contribution to the party over the years,” Izang stated.
The group maintained that minority ethnic nationalities deserved fair treatment and recognition for their loyalty to the party, insisting that the deputy governorship position in 2027 should be ceded to one of the minority communities in the interest of equity and political balance.
PNEP warned that continued exclusion of its members could negatively affect party unity and electoral fortunes ahead of future elections.
“As the APC prepares for the 2027 elections, it must answer a fundamental question: Can a political party continue to thrive when its most loyal supporters are consistently denied meaningful representation?”.
The coalition urged the APC leadership at both state and national levels to take deliberate steps to address what it described as a longstanding imbalance and ensure that all sections of Plateau North have a sense of belonging within the party.
