Plateau State Governor, Barrister Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as a strategic realignment aimed at fostering unity in the state and positioning Plateau to fully benefit from federal support.
Governor Mutfwang was formally received into the ruling party on Monday, 27 January 2026, at a high-profile ceremony attended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima; APC governors; leaders of the National Assembly; and top party officials. At the event, the governor was presented with the APC flag and broom, symbolising his full integration into the party.
Speaking after receiving the party insignia, Governor Mutfwang said his decision was motivated by the need to secure peace, unity, and accelerated development for Plateau State. He also pledged total political support for President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Our movement to the APC today signifies that the President can rely on the North Central for votes in 2027. Plateau has always been a big brother to many ethnic groups in northern Nigeria,” the governor said.
He stressed that the move should not be viewed as a defection but as a strategic repositioning of the state.
“We are not defecting; we are realigning, re-engineering, and strategically positioning Plateau to reap the full dividends of democracy,” he added.
Governor Mutfwang further assured party members that he had no intention of displacing existing APC structures in the state, saying his entry was meant to strengthen the party and end years of political rivalry.
“We have not come to take over. We have come to add value, to make the party stronger, and to ensure that all wastages of political rivalry on the Plateau stop from today,” he said.
Vice President Kashim Shettima described Plateau State as a symbol of unity and national importance, highlighting its historic contributions to leadership, reconciliation, and peacebuilding in Nigeria.
“Plateau is a reminder that what powers every nation is unity a unity rooted in shared purpose,” Shettima said.
He praised Governor Mutfwang as a bridge-builder committed to dialogue, peace, and inclusive governance, noting that his entry into the APC strengthened the party.
“In Governor Mutfwang, we see a leader committed to dialogue over division and hope over hatred,” the Vice President stated.
Shettima announced several federal interventions for Plateau State, including the recruitment of 1,000 youths as forest guards, the rollout of livestock development initiatives, and the mobilisation of contractors for the Aqua Guards project. He assured residents that additional federal support would commence within weeks.
APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, described Governor Mutfwang’s entry into the party as a major political development that had effectively collapsed opposition structures in the state.
“The structures of the PDP, Labour Party, PRP, and NNPP have collapsed into one political family. Today, Plateau is stronger, more united, and more prepared,” Yilwatda said.
He assured the governor of the party’s full backing ahead of the 2027 elections, expressing confidence in APC’s prospects in the state.
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, described Governor Mutfwang as the “newest bride of the APC,” saying the decision would accelerate peace, reconciliation, and development in Plateau State.
He assured that the National Assembly would support initiatives aimed at restoring peace, closing IDP camps, and facilitating the return of displaced persons to their communities.
“With this movement, unity has returned to Plateau. IDPs will return to their homes, and peace must return to the state,” Akpabio said.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, said the governor’s defection marked the completion of APC dominance in the North Central zone and would promote unity in Plateau State.
“This joining of the APC signifies that North Central is now complete. It also strengthens our prospects ahead of 2027,” Abbas said.
He urged Governor Mutfwang to prioritise reconciliation within the party and lead with inclusiveness.
Plateau State APC Chairman, Hon. Rufus Bature, described the governor’s entry into the party as a turning point, declaring the APC a “tent of possibilities” for the state.
Chairman of the North Central Governors’ Forum and Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, said Governor Mutfwang’s decision aligned the entire North Central region politically under the APC, while Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, described the development as a renewal of hope for the people of Plateau State.
The ceremony concluded with party leaders and supporters celebrating what APC officials described as the political unification of Plateau State and a significant boost to the party’s outlook ahead of the 2027 general elections.
