Plateau Governor Mutfwang Joins APC, Cementing Ruling Party’s Control of North Central

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has officially defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), delivering a major strategic victory that gives the APC complete control over the North Central geopolitical zone.

The announcement was made by the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, during the party’s 14th National Caucus meeting in Abuja. Yilwatda, who hails from Plateau and was Governor Mutfwang’s main challenger in the 2023 election, framed the defection as a significant expansion of the party’s reach. “With the defection of Governor Mutfwang, the entire North Central geopolitical zone is now fully under APC governance,” he declared.

The North Central zone comprises the states of Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Niger, Kogi, and Kwara, plus the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Plateau was the last remaining state in the region under PDP control.

While Governor Mutfwang has not yet issued a personal statement, sources close to him indicate the decision was driven by a desire for political alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s administration and a perceived need for greater political stability to facilitate governance and development in the state.

This defection significantly strengthens the APC’s dominance at the state level across Nigeria and is anticipated to reshape the political landscape as the country looks toward the 2027 general elections.