PNEP Raises Alarm Over Political Imbalance in Plateau North, Seeks Tinubu, Mutfwang’s Intervention
PNEP Raises Alarm Over Political Imbalance in Plateau North, Seeks Tinubu, Mutfwang’s Intervention
By Comfort Pius, Jos
The Plateau North Equity Project (PNEP) has raised the alarm over what it described as persistent political imbalance in the distribution of elective and party positions in the Plateau North Senatorial Zone ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group made the call on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at the NUJ Secretariat, Plateau State, Jos, where it appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang to urgently intervene and address what it described as the exclusion of minority ethnic communities from key political positions in the zone.
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Dr. Song Muru, a member of the group who read the briefing on behalf of PNEP, said the group had made several efforts to engage relevant government and political stakeholders on the issue but had yet to achieve the desired outcome.
Muru said PNEP was a peaceful advocacy initiative of minority communities in Plateau North, committed to promoting equitable, fair, and just distribution of political offices across the six local government areas of the zone: Bassa, Barkin Ladi, Jos East, Jos North, Jos South, and Riyom.
He said the group had earlier addressed a press conference on June 25, 2026, after several consultations with government stakeholders and members of what it described as the dominant community in the zone failed to produce a satisfactory resolution.
According to him, PNEP subsequently wrote to Governor Mutfwang, drawing his attention to what it described as a historical imbalance in the distribution of key political offices in Plateau North and appealing to him to intervene.
Muru said the situation had become more concerning as preparations for the 2027 elections gathered momentum, alleging that the same community was now strategically positioned to occupy several key political offices under the APC.
He specifically cited the positions of Deputy Governor, the senator representing Plateau North, the APC State Chairman, and two of the three House of Representatives seats in the zone.
The group said it had particularly advocated for the APC State Chairmanship, which was zoned to Plateau North, to be made available to a qualified candidate from one of the minority ethnic communities, noting that the Deputy Governor and Senatorial positions were already held by members of the numerically advantaged community.
Muru said PNEP also appealed for the Senate position to be critically reviewed and for the Deputy Governorship slot to be reserved for minority communities in Plateau North in order to achieve what it described as a more balanced political arrangement.
He, however, said the group’s appeals had not received the desired response.
“Our mandate is simple: no community should be perpetually enslaved to political exclusion. True democracy must be built on inclusion, balance, and shared responsibility,” he said.
Muru stressed that PNEP was not opposed to any individual or community aspiring to political office but maintained that political parties and governments should use opportunities available to them to promote fairness and inclusion among the constituent communities.
He further claimed that minority communities had contributed significantly to the electoral strength of the APC in Plateau North since the party’s formation in 2014 but alleged that political opportunities had not been distributed equitably.
The group warned that continued political exclusion could have implications for the APC’s fortunes in the 2027 elections, saying affected communities were mobilised to explore democratic alternatives capable of addressing what it called decades of marginalisation.
PNEP therefore appealed to President Tinubu, the APC national leadership, and Governor Mutfwang to urgently intervene in the political arrangement in Plateau North, warning that failure to address the concerns could affect the unity and strength of the party in the zone and Plateau State.
The group said its advocacy was aimed at securing a more inclusive political environment in which all communities in Plateau North would have a fair opportunity to participate in governance and leadership
