Plateau's Moment As Mutfwang Joins APC


By Yakubu Dati 

The announcement by National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, that Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has officially joined the ruling party at the party’s 14th national caucus meeting in Abuja on Thursday, has ended months of speculations. 


It has confirmed what we all know to be necessary for the further development of Plateau State: that the state has to eschew politics of sentiments to be in the mainstream of Nigeria's politics 


Presenting a bigger picture of the development, the APC National Chairman who is also from Plateau State, said with the defection of Gov Mutfwang, the entire North Central is now governed by the APC. 


This is both true and revealing that a sense of cohesion with like minds has been enabled to be consolidated.


As an indigene of Plateau State I cannot but say Eureka to this development with the epiphany that my state has realigned not just with the centre but with its siblings in the North Central zone giving our dear state a stronger identification and sense of belonging.


The North-Central occupies a strategic space in Nigeria’s power map. Frequently courted during elections, it however struggles to convert relevance into sustained Federal attention. 


In 1983 under the 2nd Republic, Plateau was the only state that chose to be different in party affiliation with its closest neighbours as Benue, Bauchi, Gongola and Kaduna all belonged to the ruling party at the center.


But the consequences were glaring as there was no synergy between the state and the center to complement the drive of our father, Chief Solomon Lar who would have achieved much more with the support of the party at the center.


Before Thursday when Mutfwang defected, Plateau reminiscent of the old order, was the only odd one out with Benue, Kwara; Niger; Nasarawa and Kogi all belonging to the ruling party. The defection of the governor is therefore a homecoming of sorts.


Many other states have since found out that alignment with the centre presents  Renewed Hope and this action by Gov Mutfwang while definitely aligning Plateau with the ruling party at the federal level, will unlock  greater access to resources, accelerate development projects, and fosters national policy influence.


The realignment is also laden with the prospects of reducing partisan friction while enabling smoother governance and faster implementation of infrastructure and security initiatives. 


Former Ebonyi governor Dave Umahi, Cross River’s Ben Ayade, and Zamfara’s Bello Matawalle have keyed into this idea for the greater benefit of their states while Delta and Akwa Ibom, are already enjoying low hanging fruits.


No doubt, alignment with the center especially for a leader like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu provides political comfort to deepen more development buoyed by leadership capacity and strategic negotiation.


Defections also consolidate power as 

governors rarely move alone; they do so with their legislators, commissioners, local government officials etc which is a plus for the ruling party as this strengthens its position ahead of 2027. 


Challenges 


There are definitely going to be challenges occasioned by this action as some would feel it would dampen their influence on the party. But such considerations are selfish and not forward looking.


Gov Mutfwang will therefore face the challenge of uniting other members with those who are moving to the APC with him as there are  entrenched party factions and rival ambitions. 


Plateau’s APC, long in opposition, carries its own internal tensions hence success for the party will require discipline, inclusion, and strategic clarity to gain from federal alignment and stabilise governance.


The good thing is that with the alignment, the cooperation of notable party leaders in the state like  Hon Idris Ahmed Wase ,the Deputy Speaker of the 9th Assembly will be secured to give APC  the needed push to navigate the political landmines.


In a region long sensitive to political neglect, Gov Mutfwang must show objectivity to build confidence and obliterate voter cynicism.


Plateau, and the North-Central more broadly, need more than strategic party alignment. They require leadership that converts political moves into tangible outcomes: improved security, infrastructure, and economic opportunity. 


Governor Mutfwang now faces the challenge of turning political repositioning into tangible results. 


For Plateau citizens, the defection is more than a political story—it is a chance for meaningful progress and stronger representation in the North-Central’s evolving political landscape.


The trajectory to redesign the North-Central, a region historically pivotal yet politically peripheral rests on the shoulders of the Governor.


All hands must be on deck to support this lawyer, social engineer and former local Government Chairman to change the narrative.


As they say: Performance endures and legacy, once formed, cannot be rewritten.