PRESS RELEASE
Re: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON GOVERNOR CALEB MUTFWANG’S STRATEGIC REALIGNMENT
The Plateau Regeneration Group (PRG), a broad-based civic coalition committed to the advancement of Plateau State and the integrity of public discourse, considers it necessary and responsible to address recent remarks attributed to former PDP State Chairman, Hon. Chris Hassan, concerning the political realignment of His Excellency, Governor Caleb Mutfwang.
We wish to first and foremost state unequivocally that we respond not from the premise of partisan rivalry but from a duty to truth, historical accuracy, and political maturity.
We state without hesitation that the suggestion by the former PDP Chairman that the Governor moved to the APC “for personal reason” is not only misleading or grossly preposterous but profoundly reductionist.
It trivialises a decision of immense strategic consequence and disregards the broader national political architecture within which Plateau State must function.
The Governor’s decision, however perceived, was neither whimsical nor self-preserving, but it was deliberate, reflective, and anchored in a central question that confronts every responsible leader:
“HOW BEST CAN PLATEAU STATE BE POSITIONED FOR STABILITY, FEDERAL SYNERGY, AND ACCELERATED DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE REALITIES OF CONTEMPORARY NIGERIAN POLITICS?”
We must not forget that in moments of political transition, leaders are tested not on convenience but on courage and Governor Mutfwang chose not only valour but responsibility, and for anyone, no matter how highly place to compress such a decision into the narrow frame of “PERSONAL INTEREST” substitutes conjecture for fact and sentiment for substance, which is grossly unfortunate.
Equally misleading is the claim that the Governor “only consulted his appointees.” Such an allegation appears crafted to insinuate division rather than illuminate truth, but we believe that Hon. Fom Gwotson who doubles as the aspirant in view and still an aid to the Governor knows better.
We know for a fact that the Governor engaged in wide-ranging consultations, deep introspection, and sober evaluation before arriving at this decision, and, based on the scale of alignment that has since followed, including nearly all members of the former State Executive Committee under Hon. Chris Hassan can not plausibly occur in informational darkness because movements of that magnitude suggest consultation, conviction, and clarity, not exclusion, as mischievously alluded by Hon. Chris Hassan.
Without mincing of words, we state that it would be politically romantic but strategically reckless to ignore the realities confronting the PDP at the national stage.
The party in the state endured electoral and structural setbacks across multiple levels in the last cycle, episodes whose recurrence would pose risks to stability and development; one which no sane person would wish the party or even the state.
We must all agree that Governor Mutfwang bears not merely partisan loyalty but constitutional responsibility: to shield Plateau from avoidable instability and developmental stagnation, and anticipating turbulence and repositioning before crisis erupts is not opportunism but statesmanship.
What renders the recent comments by Hon. Chris Hassan, particularly disappointing, is not the existence of disagreement but the context.
More troubling still is his attempt to contextualise the Governor’s decision with the flippant remark,
“KO KUN SAN AN KAMA SHI KORTO DA MATAN WANI NE?”
Such uncouth and unfortunate expression, coming from someone of his status does not reflect discernment or statesmanship; rather, it projects a lapse in judgment, moral consciousness and a disregard for the dignity that should govern both public discourse and personal relationships.
Hon. Chris Hassan has historically enjoyed cordial relations with the Governor, and we’re aware that all personal and community based benefits due to his former office and status were never withheld, which included scholarships privileges, contracts, official vehicles e.t.c.
One would think that such proximity and shared respect should ordinarily inspire restraint and courtesy, bearing in mind that political divergence must not deteriorate into interpretive hostility.
We are reluctant to infer that dissatisfaction over the Governor’s principled decision to halt his proposed “CONTINUITY PROJECT”, a decision grounded in equity and the South’s legitimate claim, has shaped his present narrative and tantrums because such speculation would not elevate discourse nor reflect institutional maturity, yet public statements must be measured against public records.
It is also pertinent to recall that despite longstanding concerns regarding alleged financial transparency bothering on funds generated from the sales of forms and other sources under Hon. Chris Hassan’s leadership, the Governor exercised patience and intervened repeatedly to preserve internal peace, and that record of magnanimity makes the present mischaracterisation even more unfortunate.
Notwithstanding, we choose restraint in our language, mindful that Governor Mutfwang does not approve of politics rooted in personal attacks or grandstanding.
However, clarity is necessary.
Governor Mutfwang has governed as a unifier, not a factional actor.
His administration has consistently prioritised collaboration over competition and opened doors across political divides, and his realignment reflects strategic recalibration informed by experience, consultation, and responsibility, and History will judge this decision not by the noise of immediate reactions, but by the stability, unity, and development it secures for Plateau State, bearing in mind that the destiny of Plateau is too sacred to be confined within narrow partisan sentiment.
We therefore urge all stakeholders to elevate public discourse, resist divisive rhetoric, and recommit to the shared vision of peace, cohesion, and accelerated progress, regardless of partisan allegiance.
We equally call on Hon. Chris Hassan to reflect on the offices he once occupied and the responsibility they impose, bearing in mind that public commentary should strengthen democratic culture, not diminish it, and that Plateau deserves intellectual rigor, not narratives that reduce complex strategic decisions to simplistic interpretations.
Plateau deserves leadership anchored in foresight, refined by wisdom and unity above all parochial affections, and Governor Caleb Mutfwang has chosen that one path of responsibility that guarantees a safer, prosperous and a united Plateau of our dreams.
God bless you all, and may Plateau, under Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, continue to succeed.
Signed,
Plateau Regeneration Group (PRG)
