AN OPEN LETTER TO HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR
On the Unwarranted Remarks by Mr. Nentawe Yilwatda ‘Suggesting’ Collusion with an Anti-Graft Agency Against the Administration of Governor Caleb Mutfwang
Your Excellency,
Leadership in a diverse and fragile nation such as ours demands not only firmness but also restraint, not only authority but also wisdom.
It is against this backdrop that we find it necessary to draw your esteemed attention to the recent careless remarks credited to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Nentawe Yilwatda, concerning the operations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Plateau State.
Ordinarily, such utterances might have been dismissed as partisan grandstanding; but in their content and implication, they strike at the very foundation of national stability and institutional integrity.
When the leader of a ruling party makes insinuations that implies that an anti-graft agency ‘might’ be deployed not to combat corruption but to harass the family and associates of a sitting Governor, it ceases to be political banter, it becomes an accusation of systemic compromise, and by extension, a grave indictment on your government.
Sir, Plateau State is not unfamiliar with the wounds inflicted when federal institutions are weaponized for political conquest.
We recall with sobriety the painful Chief Dariye years, when the EFCC, meant to embody justice, was nearly reduced to a pawn in the chess game of vendetta.
The scars of that era remain etched in public memory, and the people of Plateau are rightly wary of any rhetoric that threatens to resurrect those ghosts.
It is this same history that makes Mr. Yilwatda’s words not just reckless but incendiary.
To casually, whether overtly or covertly, make suggestions that could ‘imply’ that an anti-graft agency might be dancing to the tune of political actors is to erode the fragile trust citizens still place in national institutions.
And when such insinuations emanate from the very apex of a ruling party, they carry with them the dangerous force of legitimacy.
Your Excellency, Sir, the EFCC’s constitutional mandate is noble and necessary: to investigate and prosecute financial crimes without fear or favour.
But when its actions or the perception thereof begin to tilt towards intimidation, selective justice, or political witch-hunting, then the very essence of its existence is undermined.
Justice, once politicized, becomes oppression by another name.
Our fears are not speculative.
The APC National Chairman and his circle have ‘ostensibly’ in the past spoken boastfully of their ability to bend public institutions to partisan advantage and self aggrandizement.
From ‘allegedly’ gloating about manipulating electoral processes through the BVAS and Judiciary, to cryptic statements such as “we know whom they know, but they don’t know whom we know,” the pattern is consistent and alarming.
Such utterances reduce governance to a contest of influence, as though the destiny of millions could be bartered at the altar of personal networks.
Sir, Plateau State, at this delicate time, can not afford the recklessness of leaders who ought to be bridges of peace.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang has, by every measure, demonstrated civility, respect, and cooperation with your office.
He has pursued governance with sobriety and mutual regard, prioritizing harmony over confrontation.
It is unfortunate, therefore, that the bitterness and shortsightedness of one individual now threaten to cast shadows over this healthy relationship.
History teaches us that careless words have ignited conflicts more devastating than bullets.
Nigeria stands at a crossroads where unity must be nurtured, not undermined; where national institutions must be fortified, not discredited.
To allow reckless statements of political gladiators to pass unchecked is to imperil not only Plateau but also the credibility of your administration’s legacy.
Our Humble Appeals:
In the spirit of patriotism and responsibility, we therefore urge Your Excellency to:
- Caution Mr. Nentawe Yilwatda, that the weight of his office as APC National Chairman demands maturity, restraint, and circumspection, not reckless utterances capable of stoking unrest in Plateau and beyond.
- Protect the integrity of all anti-graft agencies by ensuring, under your leadership, that these institutions remain impartial guardians of accountability, immune from the manipulations of political actors, whether within or outside your party.
- Reinforce Responsible Leadership by emphasizing to political leaders across the nation the sacred duty of upholding decorum, maturity, and national responsibility in their conduct and speech.
Our Final Word
We reiterate our unwavering support for the war against corruption under your administration.
However, let it be clearly understood: we will resist, through every legitimate, democratic, and constitutional means, any attempt to transform anti-graft agencies into tools of harassment, blackmail, or cheap political vendetta.
The people of Plateau stand firmly by their Governor, and no intimidation, no matter how orchestrated, will break their resolve.
May wisdom guide your leadership.
May Plateau State continue to prosper in peace.
May the Federal Republic of Nigeria endure in unity and justice.
Respectfully,
Yatu Promise
Leader,
PLATEAU REGENERATION GROUP