The All Progressives Congress has expanded its grip on the country’s political landscape following the defection of Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, to the ruling party, bringing the number of states under APC control to 28.
Mutfwang’s defection came shortly after Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, joined the APC on December 9, further weakening opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, is also reportedly on the verge of defecting to the APC amid a lingering internal crisis within the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
The Kano State chapter of the APC confirmed the development, saying the governor was expected to formally join the party in the coming days.
Findings indicated that Mutfwang’s move has extended APC dominance to 28 states, including four states previously regarded as strongholds of the Peoples Democratic Party.
With the anticipated defection of Governor Yusuf, which may occur on Monday, the ruling party is projected to increase its control to 29 states, fuelling renewed concerns over Nigeria’s possible drift toward a one-party system.
The development has reduced the PDP’s control to four states—Oyo, Bauchi, Zamfara and Adamawa—while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party and Accord Party govern the remaining three states.
Recent defections are said to have swept through major South-East and South-South states, including Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Enugu, Bayelsa, Imo and Delta, stripping the PDP of long-standing strongholds ahead of the 2027 elections.
Mutfwang Pledges Support for Tinubu
While receiving his APC membership card on Friday, Mutfwang pledged to mobilise one million additional votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
The governor received the card from the state chairman of the party, Rufus Bature, at a ceremony held at the Rayfield Government House in Jos.
Speaking at the event, Mutfwang declared his loyalty to President Tinubu and his re-election bid.
He said, “One thing I declared to Mr President when I first met him on the 3rd of June, 2023, is that I am committed to his presidency and his re-election. Today, I want to affirm that I am a believer in his leadership.
“Things may not have met everybody’s expectations, but I know his determination to fix the challenges of Nigeria, and I am ready to embark on that journey.
“I believe that the step I am taking today will ensure that my counsel to him is no longer taken as that of an outsider, but as one from the inside — by design — to ensure that when conversations are held about national development, Plateau is well represented.”
Emphasising unity, the governor said, “I believe that Plateau will be the leader of this union, and those who are left behind in the PDP are not my enemies. They are my friends and my brothers.
“We will respect our elders, we will cherish our women, we will encourage our young people, and all disadvantaged groups — we will make sure we carry everyone along.”
Mutfwang attributed his political journey to divine intervention, saying, “God is a miracle worker. Who would have thought that Honourable Yusuf Gagdi and I would be sitting on the same bench?”
Presenting the membership card, APC state chairman Rufus Bature said the governor had met all requirements for membership, adding that the party was delighted to receive him.
The ceremony was attended by senior party figures, including former governors Joshua Dariye and Simon Lalong, as well as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro.
Meanwhile, opposition parties have dismissed concerns that the wave of defections signals the collapse of their strongholds.
The PDP spokesperson, Ini Ememobong, said defections by governors and lawmakers do not automatically translate into electoral dominance.
“Governors are defecting, senators are defecting. It doesn’t mean that the stronghold is no longer a stronghold. What it simply means is that individuals who had the mandate of the party are moving,” he said.
He added that “democracy is a game of numbers,” stressing that political dominance can only be determined through elections.
Similarly, the NNPP said it was not worried by reports of an imminent defection by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, noting that consultations were ongoing and clarity would emerge in the coming days.
