Defection: Mutfwang has freed himself from slavery, says ex gov Tapgun

… PDP will correct fiasco of gov’s defection – Jang

From Jude Owuamanam , Jos

A Former Governor of Plateau State, Amb. Fidelis Tapgun, has said that Governor Caleb Mutfwang has freed himself from political slavery by defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He therefore congratulated Mutfwang for taking the right decision and at the right time.

Tapgun’s congratulatory message to Mutfwang came at the same time as leader of PDP in Plateau and himself a former governor of the state, Jonah Jang, said that the PDP will correct Mutfwang’s defection in the 2027 election.

Jang described detectors as “political prostitutes.”

But Tapgun who is also a member of the PDP board of Trustee (BOT), said the congratulation becomes necessary because PDP offered Mutfwang no alternative.

Speaking to our correspondent on Saturday, said Mutfwang leaving the PDP means that he has come to terms with the truth that the party cannot win election with the current leadership tussle confronting it.

“There are those who think they own PDP and have continued to deceive the Governor that all is well. This self delusion that has lingered for two long, brought PDP to where it is today”, Tapgun said.

The former governor lauded Mutfwang for the bold step saying that the move means that he has demonstrated that he is a man of himself.

“This defection means that Mutfwang cannot be controlled by anybody. They know that the party with the current leadership crisis is heading nowhere, yet they want to keep him, for what?.

Tapgun said he had before now warned the PDP to put its house together to avoid the unfortunate situation that has befalling it.

“But those who think they own PDP decide to do things their own way. They don’t listen to anybody and have dragged Mutfwang into the mood except now that God has delivered him. If not he would have hit the rock”, Tapgun said.

He said with the way PDP has degenerated, there is no way it can organise itself to win the 2027 election, hence the defection of not only Mutfwang but other governors across board.

He called for support of President Bola Tinubu re-election, saying that the country has no option than to support the President to complete his eight years tenure, because by his rating, Tinubu is doing well.

He berated some APC members who kicked against the decision of Governor Mutfwang joining the party, saying that Mutfwang has been controlling the APC even before he joined.

“With the 22 members of the APC in the House of Assembly including Senators as well as APC forming the government at the centre, Mutfwang remained in charge of the State and the APC could do nothing. But when he made the move to defect, they started resisting him.

“Is that not self delusion?” Tapgun asked rhetorically

Meanwhile Jang, speaking at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Jos, said it’s only in Nigeria that an elected official will abandon the platform under which they’re elected and transfer the ticket to another party.

He said that the party will correct the anomaly by ensuring that to party regained the seat in 2027.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a stakeholders’ engagement, signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Felix Choji, e leadership of the party reaffirmed that the party “remained a fundamental pillar of Nigeria’s democracy, and not what is now been witnessed as matching towards a one party state, through the undemocratic tool of defection spree, which is anti-democratic and should be resisted as such by true democrats”.

They noted that the PDP is the only surviving organic political party since 1998, and it possesses the historical resilience and institutional strength required to overcome its current challenges, describing the party as more than a political platform but an indispensable political institution.

The communiqué further stressed the fact that the party has been a critical catalyst and contributor to Nigeria’s Democracy since 1999, where it was also, noted that many individuals have benefited from the party giving them the opportunity to serve and still serving at various levels of governance. Distinguished Senator Jang, urged the party’s leadership across board to place people cantered interest above personal considerations, stressing that strong political parties are essential for any democratic sustenance and stability.

The meeting was attended by PDP from the 17 local areas party chairmen, and Board of Trustees (BOT) Members Amb. Bagudu Mutle Hirse, and Professor, Gabriel Ganyir Lombin, amongst others.