Caleb Mutfwang, governor of Plateau State, has rejected claims that his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) amounted to a betrayal of the electorate.
The governor spoke during an interactive session with journalists at the Government House in Jos on Saturday.
Mutfwang said his decision was guided by the broader interest of Plateau residents who entrusted him with their mandate in the 2023 election.
Following his formal declaration for the APC on January 27, Mutfwang has faced sustained criticism from opponents who argue that the move was driven by personal political survival.
The governor added that the backlash stemmed from a misunderstanding of his motives.
According to him, PDP as a party is engulfed in internal crisis, and he added that there’s no clear pathway to resolving its challenges ahead of future elections.
Mutfwang said he initially resisted pressure to leave the PDP, noting that President Bola Tinubu personally reached out to him before he eventually reconsidered his position.
“Going into 2027, I needed a platform. When I looked at it and saw that the PDP was not likely going to become a viable platform for 2027, I had to think of an option,” he said.
“The options were either to look for a new political party or to accept the invitation by the President.
“When I did my own intelligence gathering about the state of parties in Nigeria, I found that it was least dangerous for me to respond to the President than to think of a new platform.
“I have never believed in the gladiators in the ADC, for example, and I didn’t think that was an option for me.”
Mutfwang argued that alignment with the ruling party would strengthen development outcomes in Plateau, citing progress already recorded in education, security and agriculture.
“Like I said during my speech at the reception on January 27, the people of Plateau State should expect more development now that we are in the APC,” he said.
“I must be honest, we haven’t witnessed hostility from the federal government. At least in the last one year plus, I think I’ve enjoyed considerable collaboration with the federal government.
“What is emerging is that Plateau State is becoming like the jewel of the crown in the North Central.
“Many people may not necessarily be current members of the APC, but they have shown commitment that wherever we go, they are with us. At the end of the day, it is not party membership but voter support that matters.”
