By Isreal Adamu, Jos
The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has dismissed protests against President Bola Tinubu’s nomination of Mr. Cyril Tsenyil as the Managing Director of the newly established North Central Development Commission (NCDC).
The APC Forum, in a statement by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, on Thursday, said those behind the protests against Tsenyil’s nomination are imposters sponsored by the opposition to sabotage the North Central Development Commission, and prevent the organization from actualizing its mandate of facilitating accelerated development of the North-Central region.
A group of Plateau State residents, known as Concerned Plateau Youth Forum, had on Wednesday
urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately withdraw Tsenyil’s nomination, claiming that the appointment does not reflect the collective interest of the people of Plateau State.
The group disclosed in a statement signed by Danladi Pam that its members are set to embark protests in Abuja to demand the withdrawal of Tsenyil’s nomination as North Central Development Commission MD.
However, reacting to the development, the North-Central APC Forum described Danladi Pam and the group – Concerned Plateau Youth Forum – as faceless entities being used by opposition politicians who are pained over the successes being recorded by the APC administration headed by President Bola Tinubu.
The Forum equally described the statement issued by the group as an attempt to blackmail President Tinubu.
The APC Forum warned those behind the alleged plot to have a rethink to avoid being seen as enemies of the North-Central region.
“We make bold to say that these people are not Plateau residents nor indigenes of the North-Central region. No right thinking person from the North-Central will want to become an obstacle to the accelerated development that is certainly coming to the region through the North-Central Development Commission, especially with the nomination of a tested and proven technocrat like Mr. Cyril Tsenyil as the Managing Director.
“The said Danladi Pam and his group are not known to us. Even as we dare them to show their face, we believe the faceless individuals are tools in the hands of the opposition.
“As bonafide stakeholders of the North-Central region, we distance ourselves from these faceless individuals. They and their sponsors are not our members, they are not stakeholders in the collective quest for the progress and development of the North-Central region.
“We urge the well meaning people of the region to ignore the attempts being made by these entities to cause confusion and sabotage the mandate of the North-Central Development Commission,” parts of the statement signed by Zazzaga, a member of the APC campaign council in the 2023 election, read.
The APC Forum stressed that Cyril Tsenyil’s nomination as managing director of the North-Central Development Commission was well deserved.
According to the Forum, in addition to a meritorious career as a professional accountant, Tsenyil has also paid his dues as a loyal and dedicated member of the APC, having served in various roles and committees, contributing to the growth and success of the party.
“Mr. Cyril Tsenyil is a card-carrying member of the APC. He has worked for the success of the administration of President Bola Tinubu and we have full confidence in his ability to actualize the mandate of the North-Central Development Commission.
“We know his capacity because many of our members have served with him in different committees and can attest to his competence.
“As stakeholders who agitated for the creation of the North-Central Development Commission, we want to affirm that we are fully with Cyril Tsenyil and we are in support of his nomination by Mr. President.
“We call on the people of the North-Central to give him all the support he needs to succeed in this all important assignment. This is a new commission which came as an answered prayer for the North-Central after an initial delay and we call on the people of the region to pray and work for its success,” the statement added.
Commending Tinubu for nominating Tsenyil as MD of the Commission, the APC Forum declared that with Tsenyil driving the implementation of the mandate to the organization, the North-Central is well positioned to actualize its pledge to deliver six million votes to Tinubu in the 2027 election.
President Bola Tinubu had, on May 8, 2025, formally requested the Senate to confirm his nominees as heads of the South-West, North-Central and South-South development commissions.
For the North Central Development Commission, 19 nominees were presented. Tinubu nominated Cosmos Akiyir as Chairman of the Commission, and Cyril Tsenyil as Managing Director.
Tinubu had on February 4, 2025, signed a bill establishing the North-Central Development Commission, NCDC, into law.
The Commission is charged with tackling developmental challenges in the North-Central region of Nigeria.
