JOS, Nigeria — Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general election, clearing the way for him to seek a second term in office.
Mutfwang was declared winner of the APC governorship primary after securing the highest number of votes and meeting the requirements of the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines. The chairman of the primary election committee announced the result, saying the governor had been duly returned as the party’s candidate for the 2027 poll.
“As the chairman of this committee, I wish to declare Caleb Mutfwang, having scored the highest votes and satisfied the requirements of APC constitution, as the winner of the primary,” he said. “Therefore, he is returned as the elected governorship candidate for Plateau in the 2027 general elections.”
Mutfwang’s emergence comes months after he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC, a move that reshaped Plateau politics and strengthened the ruling party’s position in the state. The APC formally received him in January and assured him of support for his re-election bid.
His defection triggered fresh calculations within the Plateau APC, where old party members, new entrants and political power blocs have been working to balance interests ahead of the 2027 elections. Analysts say his nomination could ease some uncertainty, but may also require deeper reconciliation among members who had expected a more open contest.
Mutfwang was first elected governor in 2023 on the platform of the PDP, defeating the APC candidate, Nentawe Yilwatda. His victory survived a legal challenge after the Supreme Court upheld his election in January 2024, following earlier disputes at the tribunal and appeal court stages.
The governor’s supporters say his second-term bid will focus on consolidating ongoing development projects, improving security, expanding infrastructure and strengthening peace-building efforts in communities affected by violence. Plateau has faced recurring attacks, displacement and farmer-herder tensions, making security one of the most important issues ahead of the election.
For the APC, Mutfwang’s candidacy gives the party the advantage of incumbency in a state that has often witnessed intense competition between major parties. For the opposition, his nomination presents a challenge to rebuild momentum after losing a sitting governor to the ruling party.
The 2027 governorship race in Plateau is expected to be closely watched, not only because of Mutfwang’s defection, but also because of the state’s fragile political and security climate.
