His political adviser had disclosed that the governor was preparing to join the ruling party amidst internal strife within the opposition party.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the party announced on Thursday at its national caucus meeting in Abuja.
The defection, confirmed by APC National Chairman Nentawe Yelwata at the State House Conference Centre, is described as a significant realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections and consolidates the APC’s control in the North-Central geopolitical zone.
With Mutfwang’s move, the APC now governs all states in the region, party officials said.
Sources close to the governor had earlier indicated that Mutfwang was poised to quit the PDP after months of political rumour and negotiations.
His political adviser had disclosed that the governor was preparing to join the ruling party amidst internal strife within the opposition party.
Mutfwang’s defection caps weeks of speculation and political jockeying.
Within Plateau, the governor’s contemplated exit from the PDP had drawn both criticism and support: some APC stalwarts in the state resisted his entry, fearing it would reshape internal power structures, while other party stakeholders argued his move would strengthen the party’s position ahead of future polls.
The PDP, struggling with internal crises and defections, has yet to issue a formal response to Mutfwang’s announcement.
However, national and regional party sources had previously blamed leadership dysfunction and factional wrangling for destabilising the party and prompting high-profile exits.
Mutfwang’s decision follows a broader pattern of defections by prominent PDP figures to the APC, part of what analysts describe as a realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.
Weeks ago, the Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara also defected to the APC, a move he described as aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s governance and political trajectory.