By MAYAT AKIM
I recently read a commentary in THE GUARDIAN titled, ‘Why Governor Mutfwang Is Now Desperate to Join the APC in Plateau State.” It is a fascinating piece—fascinating not for its depth, but for its imagination. It reads like a narrative crafted in the echo chambers of political hotel rooms and beer parlours by people obsessed with the arithmetic of power while ignoring the far more important algebra of governance.
Such commentary conflates the rustling of leaves with the strength of a tree’s roots. Even the blind can testify that the analysis is not only shallow but misleading.
Let us be clear: Governor Caleb Mutfwang is not desperate but focused. He is not stranded, as his critics have fantasised, but strategically grounded where it matters most—among the people of Plateau State.
The entire premise of the article rests on the false assumption that politics is primarily about the migration of so-called “big men” from one vehicle to another. However, as every discerning Nigerian knows, political parties are merely platforms. They are not religions.
The real politics—development, security, service and human dignity—transcends party colours. It is, therefore, curious that the writer laments the exit of political actors who themselves are notorious for abandoning ship at the slightest sign of turbulence. These are not allies of conviction but mere political contractors.
The attempt to frame the departure of a few elites as the collapse of Governor Mutfwang’s ‘structure’ is both obsolete and elitist.
The true structure that gave Mutfwang victory in 2023 was never a closed caucus of kingmakers. On the contrary, it was a broad coalition of ordinary Plateau people who saw in him a leader with integrity and vision. As a matter of fact, that structure is not crumbling but is further strengthened by good governance and visible progress.
While political tourists embark on a defection safari, the Governor is busy building and rebuilding—roads, schools, rural infrastructure and security systems that actually protect the people.
The very citizens who voted for him are not engaged in beer parlour gossip; they are witnessing the deliberate execution of the ‘Time Is Now’ agenda and standing firmly by their choice.
Performance, not panic, defines the administration
To claim “poor performance” despite “massive federal allocations” is not only false but represents an insult to the intelligence of Plateau citizens who see the evidence around them. In under two years, despite inherited challenges and national economic strain, the administration has renovated and reconstructed primary and secondary schools across the state. It has not only completed abandoned road projects by predecessors but is currently opening up new rural access routes.
Farming implements and fertilisers have been bought and distributed to thousands of farmers, boosting food security across the state. Similarly, the Governor has significantly improved primary healthcare infrastructure for wider and more equitable access.
In addition, Governor Mutfwang has demonstrated an unprecedented level of inclusiveness, as evident in the appointments of persons living with disabilities while consistently engaging youth and women’s groups. These are not just perceptions but measurable achievements.
Therefore, the insinuation that Governor Mutfwang is seeking ‘refuge’ in the APC is nothing but a projection of the defectors’ own transactional politics. But should he ever reconsider political alignment, it would be a strategic, national-interest decision aimed at strengthening harmony between Plateau State and the Federal Government—and certainly not an act of desperation.
2027 will not be decided by elites, but by the people
As for the “political reckoning” predicted for 2027, this will not be championed by a handful of political elites in Abuja or Jos. It will be determined by our people who will judge Governor Mutfwang not on the basis of who defected from his party but by the lives he has touched, the roads he has built, the schools he has revived and the peace he has fostered.
Mutfwang stands not on the shifting sands of political alliances but on the solid rock of performance and the overwhelming support of the Plateau people.
Therefore, while some elites may be realigning, the people are reaffirming. After all, in the end, it is the people who matter.
And, thank God, Governor Mutfwang remains in touch with them. And, no doubt, they remain in touch with him.
Akim, PhD, is the Director of Research, Policy and Governance, Directorate of Research, Planning and Documentation, Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos, Plateau State