The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State has rejected claims by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s defection amounts to a betrayal of public trust, describing the accusation as ill-conceived and politically motivated.
Governor Mutfwang officially joined the APC on Friday, a move that has triggered sharp reactions from his former party. In an immediate response, the Plateau State chapter of the PDP described the governor’s resignation and defection as “a slap on the face of the people who trusted him against all odds”.
Speaking at a press conference in Jos shortly after Mutfwang received his APC membership card, the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Choji Dalyop, accused the governor of prioritising personal ambition over the welfare of Plateau residents. Dalyop said the party was neither consulted nor informed ahead of the defection, contrary to claims circulating in some quarters.
“The party wishes to state unequivocally that it was never consulted by the governor himself concerning this matter, as alleged in some quarters,” Dalyop said. He further argued that there were no constitutional grounds that allowed the governor to defect without vacating his office.
“Therefore, this defection is seen as an act of political opportunism that subverts the total will of the electorate, and a pursuit of personal interests over the collective good of the Plateau people,” he added.
However, the APC swiftly dismissed the PDP’s position. In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the party’s Acting Publicity Secretary in the state, Shittu Bamaiyi, the APC described the PDP’s claims as “empty threats” and “totally misplaced”.
Bamaiyi noted that Governor Mutfwang did not defect in isolation but was joined by several influential PDP figures, including senators and local government chairmen. He questioned the PDP’s assertion that the governor failed to consult party stakeholders before making his decision.
“If Governor Mutfwang did not consult as claimed by the PDP, how come he joined the APC with the party’s most important members?” Bamaiyi asked. He added that a statement credited to former governor and PDP leader, Senator Jonah Jang, suggested that consultations had indeed taken place.
The APC further described the defection as “calculative, measured and popular”, arguing that it would have been politically unwise for the governor to remain in what it termed a “moribund party”. According to Bamaiyi, Mutfwang and the leaders who defected with him commanded more than 90 per cent of the PDP’s followership in the state.
“The claim that he betrayed the people’s trust is misplaced,” the statement said, adding that the governor has a constitutional right to belong to any political party of his choice.
Bamaiyi concluded that the PDP’s threats were of no effect and that attempts to scapegoat the APC for internal problems within the opposition party were unjustified.
