The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced plans to formally receive Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, into the party in January, following his recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party.
Naijaonpoint reports that the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, disclosed this on Monday, December 22, during a stakeholders’ meeting of the party held at the Crest Hotel in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
Nentawe recalled that he had earlier announced Mutfwang’s defection last Thursday during the APC’s 14th National Caucus meeting at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
Addressing party stakeholders, the APC chairman said the governor’s entry into the ruling party would further galvanise, consolidate and strengthen the APC in Plateau State, insisting that the state had effectively become an APC-controlled territory.
He said, “The entry of Governor Caleb Mutfwang into the APC will further galvanise and consolidate our party. Plateau State has effectively become an APC state.”
Nentawe added that the party remained open to receiving more members ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that broad participation was required to secure electoral victory “from top to bottom.”
He also urged party members to actively participate in the ongoing electronic registration exercise to become bona fide members of the APC.
Also speaking at the meeting, a former Plateau State governor and serving senator, Simon Lalong, commended party members for their resilience, loyalty and sustained support for the APC in the state.
Lalong, who is the APC leader in Plateau, sought to allay fears among members over recent political developments, describing such concerns as unnecessary.
He assured party faithful that they would continue to be recognised, respected and carried along in all political arrangements within the party.
In his welcome remarks, the APC State Chairman, Hon. Rufus Bature, assured members that the party would continue to respect the decisions of its leaders while maintaining internal cohesion.
The meeting was attended by several prominent party figures, including Senator Diket Plang; former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Ahmed Idris Wase; Dr Babayo Gagdi; Hon. John Dafa’an; Hon. Dalyop Fom; and the Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Naanlong Daniel, alongside other lawmakers.
Others in attendance included Senator I.D. Gyang, Victor Lar, Hezekiah Dimka, former Secretary to the State Government, S.D. Lot, John Gobak, Managing Director of the North Central Development Commission, Dr Cyril Tsenyil, Dr Umar Mantu, Prof. Artu and retired General John Sura, among others.
Naijaonpoint reports that the APC had earlier had a different position on Mutfwang’s possible entry into the party.
At a similar stakeholders’ meeting held in Jos in October and attended by senior party figures, including Nentawe and Lalong, the APC had reportedly voted overwhelmingly against accepting the governor into the party.
However, Nentawe disclosed last Thursday that Mutfwang had since joined the APC, a move the governor publicly confirmed the following day.
‘Tinubu Personally Persuaded Me’
Speaking during a meeting with political appointees and stakeholders at the Government House in Jos, Mutfwang said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally persuaded him to join the ruling party.
According to the governor, he initially turned down the President’s overtures out of loyalty to his political convictions and previous commitments.
“I pay my respects to President Tinubu for honouring our earlier decisions not to move to the APC and still maintaining a cordial relationship with us despite that,” Mutfwang said.
He revealed that, apart from the President, several influential political figures, including APC governors, had also tried to persuade him to defect, but he remained in the PDP until recent developments compelled him to reassess his position.
Mutfwang explained that his decision to leave the PDP was largely influenced by unresolved structural and leadership crises at the party’s national level.
He added that despite past tensions with the Plateau APC, the Tinubu-led Federal Government had maintained a cordial relationship with his administration.