The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has blamed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, for the party’s defeat in the 2023 election in Plateau State.

The APC forum spoke while reacting to comments made by Yilwatda on Arise TV last week.

The APC forum had faulted the minister’s response to humanitarian issues in the country, particularly the displacement of hundreds of people in Plateau State as a result of herdsmen attacks.

The forum said the impact of the minister, who is from Plateau State, is not being felt in the crisis, while accusing him of failing to visit the affected communities and locations where the victims are taking shelter.

Responding in an interview on Arise TV, Yilwatda dismissed the North-Central APC Forum as an unrecognised entity and questioned the membership of the group.

Questioning the commitment of the forum’s chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, to the APC, he accused the group of attacking him the same way it attacked other leaders of the party, including National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

However, replying to the minister, in a statement on Monday, the North-Central APC Forum said it was unfortunate that Yilwatda interpreted its advise on the humanitarian crisis in Plateau and similar issues in other parts of the country as an attack.

Insisting that its earlier statement was advisory, the Forum noted that Yilwatda’s refusal to take advise contributed to APC’s defeat in Plateau in 2023.

Yilwatda was the governorship candidate of the APC in the election but lost to Caleb Mutfwang of the Peoples Democratic Party. APC also lost Plateau in the presidential election, as Peter Obi of the Labour Party won the state.

“We offered the advise because we understand that he is relatively new in the political system, so those of us who have been in the system for long felt obligated to help out in the way we can. It was an advise and not an attack as he wrongfully interpreted,” Yilwatda said.

“APC lost the governorship election in Plateau State in the 2023 because Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, as the party candidate, refused to listen to advise.”

The Forum said Yilwatda’s emergence as APC candidate in the 2023 governorship primaries did not reflect the wish of most party members, noting that he became the candidate because he was the choice of some party leaders in the state.

“Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda did not enjoy the wide acceptance of the people, and this contributed to what happened in the election,” the statement observed.

The forum stressed that it is a recognised entity in the APC, contrary to the minister’s claims.