Shettima to Mutfwang: Tinubu Has Assured You of a ‘Place Second to None’ in Our Party

• Says APC not in crisis, believes in leadership that uplifts the vulnerable, team-building, unity

•My defection is strategic repositioning of Plateau ahead of 2027 polls, gov reveals

•Akpabio declares presidency has set standard for religious inclusion

•Leaders promise major federal support

Deji Elumoye, Sunday Aborisade in Abuja and Yemi Kosoko in Jos

Vice President Kashim Shettima, yesterday, told Plat-eau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, that All Progressives Congress (APC) had been further strengthened by his coming and that President Bola Tinubu had assured him of “a place second to none” within the party.

Shettima, who led a massive delegation to the gover-nor’s formal declaration for APC, from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described Mutfwang’s entry as “a force of unity” and a turning point for both Plateau and the ruling party.

He stated that, “We are not a party in crisis. We are a party that believes in team-building, in unity, and in leadership that uplifts the vulnerable.”

Mutfwang said his move to APC was the culmination of months of engagement with the president, Shettima, and other national leaders. He described his eventual decision as a strategic repositioning of Plateau ahead of the 2027 elections.

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, described the Tinubu administration as the most inclusive and religiously tolerant government in Nigeria’s history, saying the president has demonstrated equal respect and fairness to Nigerians of all faiths through his actions and policies.

Yesterday’s event was a major realignment of political forces, drawing an unprecedented gathering of national political heavyweights and signalling what party leaders described as a “new political architecture” for the state and the North central region.

Shettima said the governor’s decision reflected a broader national movement towards political cohesion and stability.

He praised Plateau’s historic role in Nigeria’s unity, recalling the leadership of General Yakubu Gowon and the sacrifices of military officers from the state.

Shettima also announced several federal interventions for Plateau, including the planned mobilisation of contractors for the Akwanga–Jos highway within three weeks, selection of Plateau as the pilot state for the national livestock development programme, and approval for the recruitment of 1,000 youths as forest guards.

“We are not a party in crisis. We are a party that believes in team-building, in unity, and in leadership that uplifts the vulnerable,” he said.

In his remarks, Mutfwang said, “This is not defection; this is realignment. We are re-engineering Plateau to reap the dividends of democracy.”

The governor pledged full support for Tinubu’s re election bid, saying the president has demonstrated commitment to stabilising the economy and addressing insecurity.

“It is better to follow the man who knows the road,” he said, adding that Plateau would deliver “overwhelming support” for APC in 2027.

Mutfwang emphasised that his administration remained committed to protecting Plateau’s heritage and ensuring peace across communities.

He said the political unification unfolding in the state would end years of rivalry and fragmentation.

“We have come to add value, not to take over. From today, Plateau will move in one direction,” he told APC stakeholders.

APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Goshwe, who contested against Mutfwang in 2023, described the governor’s entry as “homecoming” and a decisive step toward unifying the state’s political blocs.

He said APC now hosted structures from PDP, Labour Party, PRP, and NNPP, making it the dominant force in the state.

“With the unity between Generation Next and The Time Is Now, we are collapsing all political structures into one,” he declared, adding, “Today, APC is the majority in all wards and all local governments.”

Yilwatda assured the governor of the party’s full backing for his re election in 2027 and predicted an overwhelming victory for Tinubu in Plateau.

He said the party would uphold its motto of justice, peace, and unity, promising equitable distribution of opportunities and a renewed push for stability across the state.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, Akpabio said Tinubu’s leadership style had entrenched unity, equity and national cohesion, stressing that no administration since independence has demonstrated such balance in governance.

He stated, “Let me place it on record that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is the most Christian-friendly government since the creation of Nigeria.

“He has shown this through his actions and deeds. He treats Christians and Muslims equally, and his government reflects fairness, justice and inclusion.”

Congratulating Mutfwang, Akpabio said the move had strategically positioned Plateau State at the centre of national politics and strengthened the ruling party’s presence in the North-central zone.

He said, “Mr Governor, I congratulate you for taking the people of Plateau to the centre of Nigeria’s political gravity.

“Let me assure you that insecurity will soon come to an end in Plateau. We will support your government in all sectors to improve the lives of your people. We will not leave you alone.”

He stated that with Plateau’s entry into the APC, all states in the North-central geopolitical zone had now aligned with the ruling party, describing the development as “politically significant and nationally strategic”.

Akpabio stated, “The government will do everything within its powers to protect Nigerians, regardless of religious belief or inclination.

“We will support President Tinubu through the approval of funds to shut down all IDP camps across the country.”