Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang Thursday formally left the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the ruling party prepares to hold its National Executive, NEC, meeting in Abuja.
The defection was announced by the National Chairman of the APC, Nentawe Yilwatda, during the party’s 14th National Caucus meeting held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
Yilwatda, who hails from Plateau, disclosed that Mutfwang’s decision to join the APC further strengthens the party’s hold on the North-Central geopolitical zone.
“With the defection of Governor Mutfwang, the entire North-Central region is now governed by the APC,” the APC chairman said.
The National Caucus meeting of the party preceeds the NEC meeting on Friday and was attended by key party leaders, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Other attendees included serving and former governors, National Assembly leaders and senior party stakeholders from across the geopolitical zones.
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President Bola Tinubu used the occasion to charge governors on grassroots development and ensuring the full implementation of financial autonomy for local governments in line with the Supreme Court ruling.
“You are in a leadership position that must continue to promote tolerance and flexibility.
“There is no autonomy without a funded mandate. We will give them their money directly. That is the truth. That is compliance with the Supreme Court,” Tinubu said.
The APC National Caucus comprises high-ranking party figures, including the President and vice-president, former APC-affiliated presidents and vice-presidents, sitting and former Governors, and zonal representatives.
By convention, the caucus meets ahead of NEC, the party’s highest statutory decision-making organ.
The NEC membership includes the National Chairman, Deputy National Chairmen (North and South), National Secretary, Deputy National Secretary, National Legal Adviser and Deputy National Legal Adviser, among other officials.
NAN gathered that the caucus meeting was aimed at reinforcing party cohesion, strengthening internal discipline and harmonising positions ahead of the NEC meeting.
The participants were also expected to deliberate on organisational priorities, state-level coordination and stakeholder alignment across the federation. NAN
