As Mutfwang Govt Claims Federal Project, Records Show Nentawe's Fingerprints
The road to 2027 in Plateau State is getting murkier, and the latest controversy is over who actually owns one of the most strategic roads in the state - the Mararaba Jos to Ibi Road, which connects Plateau to Taraba State.
According toDr. Samaila Achigak A. Last week, the Sir Joe Ari Strategic Media Team, handlers of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, went to town with a bold claim: That their principal had secured the approval for the construction of the all-important Mararaba Jos - Ibi Federal Road.
The claim, however, collapsed like a pack of cards within hours, especially after the administration's lukewarm reception in Shendam, which many saw as a desperate attempt to save face.
Investigations reveal a different story entirely. The Mararaba Jos - Ibi Road is not a Plateau State Government project. It was not conceived by the Mutfwang administration. It was not lobbied for by Little Rayfield.
It is, in fact, another testimony of Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe's lobbying power at the centre.
Sources at the Federal Ministry of Works confirmed that the project was facilitated through sustained strategic engagement by Dr. Nentawe with the Presidency and the Federal Government - his brainchild, his effort, his political engineering.
Political watchers in Jos have described the move as the height of political scavenging.
"What we are seeing is a government that is bankrupt of achievements, running around Abuja to hijack federal projects and rebrand them as state achievements," a senior APC chieftain in Shendam told The Standard.
"This has never happened in Plateau history where a sitting Governor has to cling to another man's effort to survive politically. It shows desperation, not leadership."
After nearly four years and receiving trillions of naira in FAAC, IGR, and interventions, critics ask: what does Plateau have to show?
The administration's scorecard has been trailed by controversies:
- Claims of renovating 300+ Primary Health Centres, many of which are yet to be seen.
- Employment of 1,000 doctors that the NMA Plateau says it cannot verify.
- Training of 2,000 Plateau youths abroad in ICT, with no list, no location.
- Roads that exist only on social media graphics.
"When it is time to show real projects, they run to Nentawe's federal achievements. That is anti-performance cover-up," Dr. Rukuba noted.
"We were at Gharan when this road was flagged off. We know who facilitated it. We know who drove it. You cannot make Plateau people zombies overnight," said a community leader from Shendam.
The rejection in Shendam, analysts say, should have been a moment for reflection for the government, not an opportunity to double down on propaganda.
Beyond the road controversy, Plateau people are also asking questions about accountability of humanitarian funds:
- ₦2 billion Angwan Rukuba intervention by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
- ₦1.5 billion support fund by First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu
- ₦100 million private donation by Apostle Johnson Suleman and others
"Where are these funds? Money meant for victims should not be converted to a 2027 war chest. Such money carries moral, spiritual and political consequences," the statement added.
As 2027 approaches, one thing is clear: Plateau voters have become more discerning.
"If you don't have projects to showcase, leave Nentawe's projects alone. Plateau people now know how to listen carefully, question boldly and reject deception decisively," the feature concluded.
