Plateau State Governor Barr. Caleb Mutfwang has revealed that President Bola Tinubu personally invited him to decamp from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, after months of consultations and personal introspection, he had to make the move in the interest of the state.
Mutfwang, who made the revelation on Thursday shortly after defecting to the APC, said he did not make the move for personal gain but as a form of respect to Tinubu, who has shown a special interest in Plateau State and its challenges.
Mutfwang has made it clear that though the President had extended the invitation to him to join the APC on several occasions, he had politely declined.
“I pay my respects to President Tinubu for honouring our earlier decisions not to move to the APC and still maintaining a cordial relationship with us despite that,” he said during a meeting with political appointees and stakeholders at the Government House in Jos.
He noted that there had also been the beckoning of highly placed personalities, including fellow governors from the APC, too, but the whole time, he stood by his decision.
He however, stated that what finally changed his mind was the challenges and chaos within the PDP at the national level.
“Until recently, when it became clear that the PDP at the national level has undeniable problems with its structure, the need to decamp to another party was already quieted. We have zero challenges at the state level but all our efforts are vain without a solid structure at the national level,” he said.
“The risks involved in staying back in the PDP are too high for us to carelessly gamble with the mandate Plateau people gave us. No one can tell reassuringly when and how the crisis will end, or what wins or losses could be incurred.
“Bearing in mind the emotional torture our dear people went through, we can’t, by our actions or inactions, subject ourselves to another experience like that.”
Gov. Mutfwang confessed that he could have easily moved to another party but that history had taught him that it is one thing to be voted massively, and another to make sure the votes count.
“Although we’ve had our issues with Plateau APC, we can’t deny the favour and cordiality with which the Tinubu-led administration has related with us. And since the President didn’t try to force us to join the APC before things went completely south in the PDP, it’s fair enough that we considered joining the APC.
“We have a chance to attract and be entitled to so many good things, from appointments, to favours that will richly impact Plateau. Is it really wisdom to forfeit all that? No! Already there’s good news to be announced soon. Stay tuned,” he added.
