The Plateau State Government has dismissed rumours claiming that Governor Caleb Mutfwang has defected to the Young Progressives Party (YPP) after a move to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) collapsed.
Mutfwang had reportedly concluded plans to join the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the time two of his colleagues, the Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, resigned from the PDP and joined the APC, but the move collapsed after the APC leadership in Plateau State rejected his move.
At an APC stakeholders’ meeting attended by APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, former Governor and party leader in the state Senator Simon Bako Lalong, former Deputy Speaker Idris Wase, former Governor Joshua Dariye, former Minister Dame Pauline Tallen, Managing Director/CEO of the North Central Development Commission, Dr Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, serving and former lawmakers, and hundreds of party faithful, the governor’s defection was blocked.
Announcing the resolution, Yilwatda, who contested the 2023 governorship election against Mutfwang, called on a former Deputy National Secretary of the APC, Barrister Festus Fuanter, to move a motion on the issue. “Let me ask Hon. Festus Fuanter, who shares my sentiment, to lead us in moving a motion,” he said.
Moving the motion, Fuanter asked members whether they would accept Mutfwang’s entry into the APC. The proposal was unanimously rejected through a voice vote.
Fuanter then said, “We don’t want anybody coming to our party. You do your thing, and we’ll do ours. Having put that behind us, I want the media to make it very clear that we are unanimous in our resolve to win the 2027 elections decisively.
“We don’t need support from any other party. If their campaign director and other defectors are already here, we have nothing to fear. We have people from all zones in the state, and APC is a winning team,” they said in the resolution.
That move effectively blocked and stopped Mutfwang’s defection move to the APC in his bid to escape the crisis in the PDP.
However, the governor through his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Government House, Dr Gyang Bere, described the claim that he had joined the YPP as “a blatant lie, a shameless concoction peddled by desperate mischief makers” aimed at creating confusion and misleading citizens.
The statement on Friday reaffirmed that Mutfwang remains committed to his duties and “has not defected to any party.”
Bere further stressed: “Governor Mutfwang has not defected to the Young Progressives Party.
“Where and when there is any change in status, be assured that Governor Mutfwang will utilise official and verified communication channels to inform the people of Plateau State and all well-wishers.”
The government called on supporters and residents to disregard the false claim and stay focused on the governor’s development projects and people-centered initiatives.
“We urge supporters, well-wishers, and all patriotic citizens of Plateau State to disregard this falsehood in its entirety.
“Remain steadfast, vigilant, and united in the collective mission of safeguarding and advancing the Plateau project,” the statement said.
It added, “Rest assured that under Governor Mutfwang’s purposeful and visionary leadership, Plateau State remains safe, stable, and steadily rising brighter, stronger, and more resilient.”