“The Wobbly Throne: Mutfwang’s Plateau, a Game of Chairs, and the Ghost of 2027″…

D. M longgul, Writes from Jos…

The air in Jos feels thick with political intrigue. It’s a familiar Plateau season: a period of shifting loyalties, whispered grievances, and the strategic realignment of political heavyweights. Two years into Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s administration, the political terrain that brought him to power is visibly cracking. A steady stream of high-profile decampees—his erstwhile allies—is flowing from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). From the veteran political strategist Chief Latep Dabang to the influential General Sura, the exodus is more than a change of party—it’s a calculated, and potentially devastating, tactical retreat by the very people who fought alongside Gov. Mutfwang in 2023.
To understand the gravity of this moment, one must first look at Plateau’s unique political DNA. The gubernatorial elections are not landslides; they are surgical strikes, often won by the slimmest of margins. The victories of Simon Lalong in 2015 and 2019, and indeed Mutfwang’s own win in 2023, were all secured by less than 50,000 votes. In this political theatre, every vote counts, and more importantly, every political gladiator and their network of followers are a critical asset. The APC, now under the chairmanship of Mutfwang’s 2023 opponent, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, is not just receiving these defectors; they are strategically consolidating a force capable of turning a wafer-thin victory into a resounding defeat.
But the story of these defections is far more complex than a simple pursuit of federal patronage. It points to a deep-seated rot within the Mutfwang administration. Many of the defectors have alluded to the same insidious problem: the overbearing influence of a singular, powerful figure in the governor’s inner circle. This individual is “heard but not seen” an unseen hand allegedly dictating appointments and controlling access to the seat of power. It’s a classic tale of a parallel government, and it has created a profound sense of alienation among Mutfwang’s early backers. They feel betrayed, sidelined in favor of a select group of close friends and family, and their political capital, which was instrumental in Mutfwang’s victory, is now being rendered obsolete.
This allegation of a power cabal, tinged with accusations of deep-seated nepotism, is the political equivalent of a festering wound. It’s not just about a few disgruntled politicians leaving; it’s about a narrative gaining traction that the Mutfwang administration has become insular and inaccessible. This narrative gives the opposition a powerful weapon. Professor Yilwatda, a man who knows the pain of a narrow defeat, can now position the APC as the party of broad alliances and inclusivity. He can tell the Plateau electorate that the PDP, under Mutfwang, has become a closed shop, while the APC is an open-door party, ready to welcome all.
The possibility of Mutfwang losing in 2027 is, therefore, a very real one. The defection of political heavyweights, who command significant grassroots influence, is a direct subtraction from his electoral base. The perception of an administration mired in nepotism and controlled by a cabal erodes the goodwill he earned during the last election. It demobilizes his core supporters and gives the opposition a potent and emotionally resonant attack line. The political chessboard of Plateau is no longer about party manifestos alone; it’s a battle of perception, and right now, the momentum is with the opposition.
However, to assume the game is already lost would be a grave mistake. While the political establishment may be shifting, the ultimate power still lies with the people. And Mutfwang’s greatest opportunity lies in a constructive argument: his performance. If he can leverage his time in office to deliver tangible results—on security, on infrastructure, on civil service welfare—he can build a new kind of political capital. The defection of the “big men” could, paradoxically, be an opportunity to shed political baggage and build a more loyal, merit-based team. The 2027 election could be a referendum not on who is in the governor’s inner circle, but on what he has done for the common citizen.
The people of Plateau are becoming more discerning. They are looking beyond the theatrics of political defections and are asking a simple question: “What is in it for me?” If Mutfwang can answer that question with visible and impactful governance, he can change the narrative. He can show that the power of performance outweighs the power of political allegiances. The road to 2027 is a tightrope, and Mutfwang’s survival will depend not on a game of chairs with the political elite, but on his ability to connect with and serve the people he governs. His political destiny hangs in the balance, and the verdict will ultimately be delivered not by the decampees, but by the voters at the ballot box.

count | 369

A look at the Gov. Mutfwang’s tenure and the road to 2027…