Plateau APC rejects the alleged Mutfwang defection, as ex-councillors accuse the governor of desperation while the PDP denies any such move
Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s alleged attempt to defect to the All Progressives Congress was on Monday rejected by the Councillors Forum of Nigeria, Plateau State chapter, during a press briefing held in Jos.
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The forum’s chairman, John Dashe, accused Governor Mutfwang of making a covert bid to join the APC, describing the reported plan as a desperate effort to enter the party through what he called the back door.
The dispute over the alleged Mutfwang defection deepened long-standing political tensions in the state.
Dashe said Governor Mutfwang had repeatedly dismissed the APC as a collapsing platform and questioned the governor’s sudden interest in joining a party he had previously criticised.
He accused the administration of governance failures, infrastructure decline and the disengagement of thousands of youths employed under previous programmes.
He alleged that Mutfwang’s conduct raised doubts about what political value he could contribute to the APC, insisting that the governor often contradicted his own public statements.
He also accused the administration of worsening hardship across Plateau State, citing what he described as widespread job losses and homelessness.
The forum reiterated its earlier criticism of Governor Mutfwang’s tenure, including the removal of more than 4,000 youths from government service and the controversial dissolution of elected local government councils.
Dashe argued that these actions made the governor an unsuitable fit for what he called a progressive party.
He further reminded the APC leadership of Mutfwang’s vocal opposition to the party’s Muslim–Muslim presidential ticket in 2023, describing his rhetoric at the time as divisive.
The group urged President Bola Tinubu, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, state chairman Rufus Bature and party elder Simon Lalong to reject any move to admit the governor.
Despite the sharp criticism, the APC in Plateau State remains divided over the rumoured defection. Some leaders appear open to receiving Mutfwang, while others prefer to keep him out of the party.
The governor, however, has denied the allegations. Speaking through the Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Plateau State, Dr Felix Choji, he said the rumour was politically motivated and baseless.
Choji stressed that Governor Mutfwang remained committed to the PDP and focused on delivering governance reforms rather than engaging in speculation.
Choji urged the former councillors to stop dragging the governor into internal APC disagreements, insisting that the decision about his political platform would ultimately rest with God and the people of Plateau State.
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The speculation around the governor’s political future has become a potent flashpoint in Plateau politics, adding fresh volatility to an already polarised environment.
