By Palang Paul
Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Governor was presented with his APC membership card, numbered APC 311101000001, during a ceremony at the Victoria Gowon Hall, Government House, Rayfield, on Friday, January 2, 2026.
Governor Mutfwang described his move as a divinely guided decision made after fervent prayers and wide consultations, undertaken in the overall interest of Plateau State. He told a jubilant crowd of APC faithful that he had wholeheartedly embraced the APC as a platform to advance peace, unity, and development.
Reflecting on the fiercely contested 2023 elections and the subsequent legal battles that ended at the Supreme Court, the Governor attributed his victory to divine intervention. He extended his deep affection and respect to his former associates in the PDP, stressing that his defection “does not translate to enmity,” but represents a broader consultation for the state’s progress.
Governor Mutfwang called for unity among political actors ahead of the 2027 elections and expressed confidence that Plateau State would deliver overwhelming support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He declared the APC a “Plateau people’s party” and stated his commitment to working with the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, and all stakeholders to accelerate development.
“The moment has come for us to replace bitterness with peace, hatred with love, and division with unity, so that Plateau may truly be great,” Governor Mutfwang said.
Presenting the membership card, the Plateau State APC Chairman, Hon. Rufus Bature, confirmed that the Governor had fulfilled all constitutional requirements for membership. Officials from the Governor’s Ampang West Ward and Local Government, Hon. Pius Shehu Dakop and Alhaji Ladan Garkawa, corroborated that he had formally resigned from the PDP and completed his APC registration at both levels.
The ceremony attracted a host of dignitaries, including the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Bernard Doro; former Governors Joshua Dariye and Simon Lalong; Senator Diket Plang; members of the National Assembly; and numerous APC supporters.
Following the event, Governor Mutfwang held a strategic meeting with the APC State Executive Committee and key stakeholders at the party secretariat. He pledged to “add value, not subtract” and to collaborate with fellow North-Central governors to mobilize support for President Tinubu.
At the meeting, former Governor Simon Lalong described the defection as being in the state’s best interest and formally declared Governor Mutfwang the leader of the APC in Plateau State, in line with the party’s constitution.
Former Governor Joshua Dariye welcomed the move as a “dream fulfilled,” while the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Daniel Naanlong, hailed it as a historic moment to unlock the state’s potential.
The Governor later hosted party leaders and stakeholders to a unity luncheon at the Government House Banquet Hall.
Post Comment