The North-Central All Progressives Congress, APC, Forum has urged President Bola Tinubu to stop giving audience to governors of opposition parties who harass and intimidate APC members in their states.
The North-Central APC Forum, which made the call in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by its Chairman, Alhaji Salleh Zazzaga, said Tinubu and those in his inner circle should “stop entertaining” the opposition governors because they do not mean well for the President and the APC.
Although the North-Central APC Forum did not name the concerned governors, several opposition governors, including Ademola Adeleke, Osun, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and Caleb Mutfwang, Plateau, PDP, are known to enjoy easy access and close relationships with President Tinubu.
Adeleke and Soludo, who are seeking re-election in off-cycle elections coming up in Osun and Anambra states, respectively, have openly suggested that Tinubu is backing their second term bids – even against APC candidates.
In June 2025, during the Sallah holidays, Tinubu received the Osun governor at his private residence in Ikoyi, Lagos.
In a similar development, Tinubu, in August, received Soludo in the Presidential Villa for a private meeting.
However, in the statement signed by Zazzaga, a member of the APC campaign council in the 2023 election, the North-Central APC Forum said the concerned opposition governors are not sincere in their relationship with the President.
Urging Tinubu to concentrate on APC members, the Forum said the opposition governors are taking advantage of Tinubu’s “large heartedness” and accommodating disposition, telling him the “rights things” in his face while working against him behind his back.
“The North-Central APC Forum urges President Bola Tinubu to stop entertaining opposition governors who go to him with deception and lies. They say nice things when they meet Mr President but when they go back to their states they do a different thing altogether.
“They pretend to be nice when they come before Mr President but when they leave his presence and go back to their states they take actions that are against the interest of Mr President and the APC.
“These governors harass and intimidate innocent APC members in their states. They go as far as using the instruments of government to frustrate the legitimate businesses of law abiding APC members who are working hard to survive.
“APC members are being hounded to the extent that their personal properties are being demolished, or are marked for demolition, by these opposition governors and their agents.
“This ugly situation is playing out in states being governed by the opposition, particularly in the North-Central, as well as in other parts of the country. As dedicated members and stakeholders whose only interest is the growth and progress of the party, we felt we should draw President Bola Tinubu’s attention to this sinister situation.
“This has become even more imperative as we approach elections in some states led by the opposition, where the incumbent governors, who are not members of our party, are dropping Mr President’s name, claiming to have secured his endorsement while they at the same time unleash the machinery of the state against APC candidates and members.
“These opposition governors, due to their undeserving access to Mr President, are carrying on as if the APC is not existing in their states. They drop Mr President’s name while doing everything possible to subdue APC members and weaken our party. This is not acceptable and should not be allowed to continue,” parts of the statement said.
The North-Central APC Forum noted that the situation is demoralizing for APC members in the concerned states
“Continuing to entertain these opposition governors would give the wrong and false impression that President Bola Tinubu is in support of their victimisation of APC members in their states.
“We urge Mr President to act immediately to clear this wrong impression by withdrawing access and other unmerited privileges being enjoyed by these ungrateful and deceitful opposition governors,” the statement added.
The North-Central APC Forum in the same vein urged Tinubu to call the opposition governors to order, and warn them to stop the victimisation of APC members in their states.
Stressing the need for Tinubu to concentrate on APC members, the Forum said the opposition governors should defect and join the APC if they so desire, rather than pretending to be with Tinubu while working against his party (APC).
“If they wish to defect to the APC they should defect and become part of the APC family. They should not go to Mr President and tell him nice things only to do the opposite behind his back. That is unacceptable. Ahead of the off-cycle elections and the 2027 election, Mr Presidential should focus all attention on the APC and it’s members,” the North-Central APC Forum further insisted.
