The Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Barrister Festus Fuanter, has warned fifth columnists and their sponsors to desist from interfering in the internal affairs of the party.
Speaking in an interview on Saturday in Jos, Fuanter condemned the actions of some faceless groups planning a protest against the recent appointment of Dr. Cyril Tsenyil as the Managing Director of the newly established North Central Development Commission.
He emphasized that Dr. Tsenyil’s appointment had his full backing as the highest-ranking party official from Plateau State in the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC), and also enjoyed the support of the entire APC stakeholders in the state and the North Central zone.
According to him, “Dr. Tsenyil, who holds a doctorate degree in Accounting, is one of the most qualified professionals to pilot the affairs of the new Commission and drive it toward achieving its full potential for the benefit of the North Central region and the country at large.”
Fuanter described the planned protest as the handiwork of a disintegrating and frustrated political party that has lost its grip on governance, stressing that it was not initiated by genuine APC members.
“Dr. Tsenyil’s appointment is not a mistake, but a wise decision that will enable the Commission to flourish and meet the developmental needs of the North Central zone. He is a technocrat and seasoned administrator with impeccable credentials. Mr. President made the right call,” he said.
He urged APC members to remain calm and assured them that President Bola Tinubu had already begun the process of rewarding loyal APC members in Plateau State with federal appointments, as a show of appreciation for their support during the last elections.
Speaking on the ongoing wave of defections from other parties—especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)—into the APC, Fuanter stated that the ruling party had not lured any governor or National Assembly member to join. Rather, they were joining willingly, having seen the positive direction of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He attributed the defections to the PDP’s inability to uphold internal democracy, adding that “many of its members are leaving out of frustration.”
However, he stressed that not all defectors would be accepted into the APC.
“We will not welcome non-performing or corrupt governors who have failed to deliver in their states despite receiving billions in statutory allocations over the past two years,” he declared.
