Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Plateau State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to receive defectors from the Peoples Democratic (PDP) and other political parties in the state.
Against this background, the party has constituted a committee headed by Pam Dung Gyang to receive the defectors.
The party’s national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, at a stakeholders’ meeting in Jos, announced that Vice President Kashim Shettima will receive the prominent politicians who recently decamped to the ruling party.
LEADERSHIP reports that among them is the former senator representing Plateau North, Barr Istifanus Gyang, former political adviser to Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Hon. Latep Dabang, fondly called the ‘big Masquerade’ and the former secretary of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement Committee of IDPs, Brig- Gen John Sura (rtd) along with their supporters and many others in the state.
Meanwhile, prominent members of the two leading political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), continue to resign their membership, citing disillusionment and loss of confidence in their party structures.
In the latest development, a chieftain of PDP Nde Isaac Wadak, formally resigned from the party in a letter addressed to the PDP chairman of Kabwir Pada Ward in Kanke local government area, Mr. Kichime Kassam.
In the same vein, Chief Robert Taple, a chieftain of the APC, also announced his resignation in a letter submitted to the state secretariat of the party at Kalwa House, Jos, through the chairman of his Langkan Ward in Pankshin local government area.
Wadak in his resignation letter, lamented the erosion of the PDP’s founding values and internal democracy, and said, “I have watched as the ideals and philosophy on which the Party is founded are being eroded. Trust and loyalty are being sacrificed at the altar of mediocrity, while sycophants and rent-seekers are being rewarded.”
The former permanent secretary Ministry of Finance said he is a loyal member of the former Governor Jonah Jang’s Redemption Team and contributed tremendously to Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s 2023 electoral victory in the state.
According to him, his decision was driven by conscience and conviction, as the party was “gradually sliding into irrelevance.”
Similarly, Chief Taple on his part explained that his decision to quit the APC was to remain apolitical “to freely advise and work for the progress of Plateau and Nigeria.”
In another development, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that the teetering People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has finally come out of its cocoon following some decisions taken by the APC at its well attended stakeholders meeting in Jos.
According to a statement issued in Jos by the acting publicity secretary of the party, Alh. Shittu Bamaiyi, the PDP , through some of its members, suddenly became hysteric, when they learnt that APC stakeholders had opposed any attempt to absorb Governor Caleb Mutfwang into the party.
Bamaiyi argued that they are not surprised that PDP decided to maliciously scapegoat the APC national chairman Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda for that decision.
“For the avoidance of doubt, there are two motions, one for the endorsement of President Tinubu for a second tenure in office and the second is that, Governor Mutfwang should be allowed into the APC.”
According to the statement, the national chairman who presided over the proceedings, called for the secondment of the motion for president’s endorsement, which was swiftly seconded, while that of Governor Mutfwang was out rightly rejected by the crowd.
“It is rather ridiculous and hypocritical for the same PDP that claims that Governor Caleb Mutfwang is not interested in joining the APC to turn around and publicly start crying blue murder when it heard that he is not welcomed to the Party.
“PDP’s outburst at this material time is an indication of the fact that, the Party is in danger, lily-livered and also chicken hearted, just on the slightest body language of the APC,” Bamaiyi said.
