The Plateau Regeneration Group (PRG) has strongly criticised former state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chris Hassan, for describing Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s political realignment to the All Progressives Congress as a personal decision.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by Pam Datri, the group said Hassan’s claim was “misleading, grossly preposterous and profoundly reductionist,” arguing that it diminished what it called a strategic decision taken in the wider interest of Plateau State.
According to PRG, the governor’s action was not driven by self-preservation but by what it termed a careful assessment of how best to position the state for stability, federal collaboration and accelerated development within Nigeria’s current political realities.
The group also rejected allegations that Mutfwang consulted only his appointees before defecting. It maintained that the governor held wide consultations and undertook deep reflection, noting that the wave of political figures who have aligned with him since the announcement suggested “consultation, conviction and clarity, not exclusion.”
PRG further argued that ignoring challenges facing the PDP nationally would have been “politically romantic but strategically reckless,” adding that the governor carries a constitutional responsibility to protect the state from instability.
The coalition expressed particular displeasure with a remark attributed to Hassan in Hausa, describing it as unbecoming of someone who once held high party office and as a departure from the dignity expected in public discourse.
While acknowledging past cordial relations between the former chairman and the governor, the group said political disagreement should not degenerate into hostility.
It added that Mutfwang has consistently presented himself as a unifier who prioritises collaboration across divides, and that his decision would ultimately be judged by its impact on peace, unity and development rather than immediate reactions.
PRG urged political actors in the state to raise the tone of debate and avoid narratives that could inflame tension.
