By Chuwang Dungs, Jos
January 10, 2026
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State, Mr. Kefas Ropshik Kefiano, has described the defection of Governor Caleb Mutfwang to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a product of personal political calculations rather than an indication of weakness within the PDP.
Kefiano spoke on Friday in Jos after a PDP stakeholders’ meeting convened amid rising political tension in the state following the governor’s exit from the party.
He said the meeting was deliberately organised to counter misinformation and reassure party members that the PDP in Plateau State remains united, stable and firmly rooted at the grassroots.
“There is no crisis in the Plateau PDP,” Kefiano said. “What we are witnessing is personal politics. Individuals are making moves to protect their personal interests, not because the party is weak.”
He dismissed fears that the governor’s defection, alongside the exit of some party members, could undermine the PDP’s strength ahead of future elections.
According to him, most of those who defected were political appointees and office holders whose decisions, he said, were driven by access to power rather than party ideology.
“Between 90 and 95 per cent of those leaving are appointees or political office holders,” he stated. “That is common in our political system, but it does not define the PDP.”
Kefiano said the massive turnout at the stakeholders’ meeting clearly demonstrated that the party’s structures across wards and local government areas remain intact.
“The crowd here today tells the real story,” he said. “PDP is Plateau, and Plateau is PDP.”
He noted that Plateau voters have historically demonstrated political independence, recalling that the electorate voted out an incumbent administration in the last general election.
“This state has never followed individuals blindly,” he said. “Politics here is driven by the will of the people, not by platforms imposed from above.”
Kefiano also used the occasion to clarify his political ambition, formally declaring his intention to contest the Plateau Central Senatorial seat on the PDP platform.
“For the sake of transparency, I want to make it clear that I will be contesting for the Central Senatorial seat on the PDP platform,” he said.
He rejected claims that recent defections were driven by fear of losing elections, arguing that internal challenges within the party could still be resolved through dialogue and established party mechanisms.
Kefiano further ruled out any return to the APC, accusing the ruling party of benefiting from judicial reversals of electoral victories won by opposition candidates.
“I cannot associate with a party that has benefited from what I see as stolen mandates,” he said. “I supported candidates who clearly won elections but lost through court decisions.”
He urged PDP leaders and supporters in Plateau State to remain calm and focused, stressing that resilience and unity, rather than panic over defections, would determine the party’s future in the state.
