A group under the banner of Concerned Plateau Youths Forum has rejected the nomination of Mr. Cyril Tsenyil as the Managing Director of the newly established North Central Development Commission (NCDC).
The group described Tsenyil, who served as Accountant General under former Governor and current Senator Simon Lalong, as a political ally of Lalong and an unfit candidate for the strategic role, citing concerns over favoritism and lack of broad-based consultation.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, spokesperson for group, Danladi Pam called on President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the nomination and urged the Senate to withhold confirmation.
They accused Lalong of pushing the nomination to serve personal interests and warned that proceeding with the appointment could spark mass protests.
The group also announced plans to submit a formal petition to the National Assembly and stage a peaceful demonstration in Abuja until their demands are met.
Pam said the nomination “smacks of favoritism, cronyism, and total disregard for competence and broad-based representation.”
The North Central Development Commission, recently established by the National Assembly, is tasked with coordinating and accelerating development in states within the region.
The youth group emphasized the need for merit-based appointments to avoid repeating the mistakes of similar commissions in the past.
They warned that proceeding with Tsenyil’s confirmation could spark broader dissent and erode public confidence in the new commission before it even begins operations.
“Mr. Tsenyil’s nomination is not only unpopular among Plateau people, but it is also an insult to the collective sensibilities of the North Central region,” he said.
“How can such a strategic and sensitive position be handed to someone simply because he served as an accountant to Senator Lalong? What were his records during his tenure as accountant? We are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withdraw this nomination immediately and ensure a more inclusive, transparent process.”
The group further disclosed that it is preparing a formal protest letter to the leadership of the National Assembly, urging both the Senate and the House of Representatives to reject Tsenyil’s confirmation when his nomination comes up for screening.
“We are submitting a detailed petition to the National Assembly, highlighting why Mr. Tsenyil should not be confirmed. The North Central deserves better. We deserve a competent, visionary, and widely acceptable leader to steer the affairs of the Commission,” the spokesperson added.
As part of their resistance, the group announced plans to stage a sustained street protest in Abuja in the coming days to demand the withdrawal of the nomination.
According to the group, the protest will continue until President Tinubu and the Senate heed their call.
“We are mobilizing youths across the North Central region to converge in Abuja for a peaceful protest. We will occupy the streets and stay until our voices are heard. This is a battle for fairness, regional justice, and credible leadership,” the statement added.
