Mutfwang: I joined APC because PDP wobbled, fell into hands of undertakers

By Henry Umahi

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has explained why he dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

On Tuesday, the governor was officially welcomed to the APC in Plateau in an event that attracted Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu; Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representative, Tajudeen Abbas Ph.D; National chairman of APC, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, governors, national assembly members and party chieftains from across the country.

In a chat with senior journalists, Mutfwang disclosed that his decision to dump the PDP was informed by the internal wranglings in the party.

He had insisted at a time that he wouldn’t dump the PDP for the APC. So, why did he leave?  “You will also recall that from September (last year) or thereabout, the PDP began to wobble seriously. It got to the point where, as an insider, I became aware, as one of our elders said, that the PDP had fallen into the hands of undertakers.

“At that point, the question was whether I was still going on with 2027 or not. I likened it to having a very serious appointment, like a wedding, ahead of you, and the vehicle you are traveling in breaks down very irreparably. You are forced at that point either to look for a mechanic or to look for another vehicle.

“Going into 2027, I needed a platform. When I looked at it and saw that the PDP was not likely going to become a viable platform for 2027, I had to think of an option. The options were either to look for a new political party or to accept the invitation by the President.

“When I did my own intelligence gathering about the state of parties in Nigeria, I found that it was less dangerous for me to respond to the President than to think of a new platform. I have never believed in the gladiators in the ADC, for example, and I didn’t think that was an option for me.

“So, to answer your question simply, when I gave that response last year, the circumstances were entirely different. After that, events began to emerge that I never contemplated, which forced me to have a rethink. It is that rethink that has brought me to this point now, where, after much consultation, I thought it was safer to go with the APC.”