…Pledges unity, as PDP warns of 2027 regrets
Governor Caleb Mutfwang, of Plateau State, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the move was taken in the best interest of the state and its people.
Mutfwang was formally received into the APC on Thursday in Jos, the Plateau State capital, where the state chairman of the party, Rufus Bature, presented him with his membership card. The defection marks a major political shift in the state’s leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Addressing party members and supporters at the event, the governor assured residents that his change of party would not alter his commitment to inclusive governance. He called for unity across the state, describing his decision as a “journey of faith” that would ultimately yield dividends for Plateau. “I know there are skeptics, but I say be patient. Time will reveal everything. To the fearful, I say take courage; fear no more because we have come for good. We have come to join hands; we have come to work together”, Mutfwang stated.
The Governor expressed gratitude to the PDP for providing him a platform during his political career, noting that his defection would further motivate him to deliver qualitative leadership. He also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as his deep love for Plateau State, pledging to support the president’s re-election bid in 2027.
However, the defection has drawn sharp reactions from the PDP at the national level. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, warned that governors who abandon the PDP would come to regret their actions when election results are declared in 2027.
Speaking during a television interview yesterday, Ememobong acknowledged internal challenges within the PDP, but insisted that defecting leaders were not absolved of responsibility. He argued that many of those citing party crises were themselves part of the leadership when the problems emerged.
“When you point accusing fingers at the PDP, you have four fingers pointing back at you,” he said, adding that the crisis was created by individuals and that those defecting were merely “exporting the problem” to other parties for reasons of convenience.
