I Dumped PDP Because It’s No Longer a Viable Platform – Plateau Gov

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has explained his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the opposition party had lost its viability ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Mutfwang, who was officially welcomed into the APC on January 27 in Jos, said his decision followed months of internal crisis within the PDP, which he described as being “in the hands of undertakers.”

The governor recalled that when he was asked in July last year whether he would defect like some other PDP governors, he firmly rejected the idea, insisting that Plateau was historically a PDP state. However, he said circumstances changed drastically from September as the party became engulfed in deepening internal conflicts.

“At that point, I had to ask myself whether the PDP could still provide a credible platform for 2027,” Mutfwang said. “When I assessed the situation and realised it was no longer viable, I had to consider alternatives.”

He explained that while forming or joining a new political party was an option, intelligence assessments showed that accepting President Bola Tinubu’s invitation to join the APC was the least risky decision.

According to the governor, attempts by some party leaders to expel others during a meeting in Ibadan further worsened the PDP crisis. He said he objected to the move because it was done without broad consultation and only served to deepen divisions within the party.

Mutfwang expressed optimism that his defection would enhance collaboration between Plateau State and the federal government, noting that the state had already enjoyed considerable cooperation even before joining the APC.

“Now that I am part of the family, I expect stronger collaboration and greater support,” he said, adding that Plateau was fast emerging as “the jewel of the crown in the North Central.”

On concerns about harmonising APC structures in the state, the governor said the process would be smooth, noting that former governor and ex-APC national chairman, Simon Lalong, had publicly recognised him as the party leader in Plateau State.

He also attributed the relative peace recorded across the state in recent months to improved intelligence gathering and stronger coordination with security agencies, stressing that peace was a product of deliberate effort, not coincidence.

Addressing fears that his defection might weaken grassroots support, Mutfwang dismissed such concerns, saying Plateau people were rational voters who trusted the judgement of their leaders.

“Ultimately, it is not party membership but voter support that matters,” he said.

The governor disclosed that several federal projects were already in the pipeline, including the dualisation of the Akwanga Road, investment in livestock development, recovery of the Wase grazing reserve, construction of a modern abattoir, and recruitment of 1,000 personnel into the forest service to aid the return of internally displaced persons.

On whether he received guarantees before joining the APC, Mutfwang said tradition supports second-term tickets for first-term governors and expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s commitment.

He added that Plateau State would play a key role in shaping Middle Belt voting strength ahead of the 2027 elections.