…describe protests as “Political immaturity,” warn of consequences for 2027 polls

A group of pioneer members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State, under the banner of Concerned Plateau APC Legacy Members, has condemned recent protests aimed at opposing the alleged move by Governor Caleb Mutfwang to defect to the party, describing the action as “Ill-advised, hypocritical and against the overall interest of the APC.

Addressing a Press conference in Jos on Tuesday, the group Leader, Comrade Emmanuel Dankasa, said those “parading themselves as APC members” to oppose the governor’s alleged defection are not speaking for genuine party faithful.

The group expressed shock that individuals claiming to be APC members would stage protests to reject a sitting governor’s entry into the party, especially at a time the APC is seeking to regain power in Plateau State after losing the governorship in 2023.

“It is counterproductive and puerile for anyone to block a sitting governor from joining the APC. This is the height of anti-party activity and deserves disciplinary action.”

They argued that if Governor Mutfwang were to choose to defect would be “the biggest political catch for the APC in Plateau State since 2013, noting that the governor controls significant political structures and enjoys wide grassroots support.

The group emphasised that Mutfwang governs the home state of the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda and that a defection from Plateau’s chief executive would represent a major political victory for the national leadership.

They said the protests contradict the APC’s tradition of receiving defectors with fanfare, citing recent high-profile receptions in Jos and Lokoja

“How can the same party that spends hundreds of millions to receive defectors now allow its members to protest against a governor joining us?” they queried.

The members warned that rejecting the governor could cost the party significantly in the 2027 elections, stressing that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s rising goodwill in the state does not automatically translate into APC electoral dominance without strategic alliances.

According to the group, those behind the anti-defection protests are individuals “fearful of losing political relevance” if the governor joins the APC.

They called on the party’s leadership to investigate and sanction those involved, saying failure to do so would suggest that the protests were “sponsored by vested interests within the party hierarchy.”

Responding to conditions reportedly set by some protesters, including asking the governor to reinstate 4,000 sacked tertiary institution workers, the group said such demands were “petty and politically motivated”.

They also cautioned against referencing the governor’s political comments before the 2023 elections as grounds to reject his rumoured defection, noting that even critics like Daniel Bwala have since been absorbed into the Tinubu administration.

While accusing some protesters of mischief, the group appealed to Governor Mutfwang to reconsider the plight of sacked workers and reinstate deserving individuals after proper verification.

They further urged him to “join mainstream national politics” by aligning with the ruling APC, insisting that Plateau State has historically benefited from being in harmony with the federal government since 1999.

The group listed recent federal appointments and projects secured for the state, including two ambassadorial nominations, a federal polytechnic in Shendam, a North Central Development Commission chief executive, and the APC national chairmanship, as reasons the state should remain aligned with the centre.

“Governor Mutfwang’s entry into the APC would consolidate Plateau’s rising profile and enhance its place in the Renewed Hope agenda,” they said.