Former councillors in Plateau State have dismissed claims that Governor Caleb Mutfwang intends to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing such reports as unfounded and politically concerning.
At a press briefing on Monday at the NUJ Press Centre in Jos, Dabit Dashe, spokesman for the Immediate Past Elected Councillors Forum, said the governor’s alleged move contradicts his previous statements dismissing the APC’s presence in Plateau State.
“Governor Mutfwang has consistently said there is no APC in Plateau and that he would not join a party he once described as collapsing. This sudden shift is therefore puzzling,” Dashe stated.
The forum also criticized the governor’s tenure, alleging that his policies have led to widespread hardship, job losses, homelessness, and the removal of more than four thousand youths from various positions. They further accused Mutfwang of defying a Supreme Court ruling by dismissing elected chairmen and councillors across all 17 local government areas, actions they argued should disqualify him from joining the APC.
Appealing to national and state APC leaders, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and Plateau State Chairman Rufus Bature, the councillors urged them to reject any attempt by Mutfwang to enter the party.
They also referenced the governor’s previous criticism of the APC’s Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in the 2023 elections, questioning the sudden change in his political direction.
The forum concluded by asserting that Mutfwang brings no political value to the APC and should remain in the PDP, where opposition members can continue to hold him accountable. They also reaffirmed their support for President Tinubu’s reelection in 2027 and expressed confidence in Prof. Yilwatda’s leadership.