All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday welcomed top political figures from opposition parties in Plateau State in what party leaders described as one of the most significant political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The reception ceremony at the Polo Field, Jos, drew thousands of supporters and featured the defection of former governorship candidates, serving members of the House of Representatives, former lawmakers, commissioners, and party executives from the Labour Party (LP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and other platforms.
Addressing the crowd, President Bola Tinubu, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, hailed the defectors as “political mammoths, political bulldozers, and political generals,” noting that their decision reflected renewed confidence in the current administration.
“What I have seen here today is not just a rally — it is the birth of a new political era, Come 2027, the entire Plateau State shall become APC.”Akpabio declared. He further recounted a conversation with Dr. Patrick Dakum, saying: “Labour Party is dead on the Plateau. And when I look around, I know he wasn’t joking.”
In addition, Akpabio addressed insecurity in the state, assuring residents of the Federal Government’s commitment to restoring peace.
“Plateau has seen too many deaths, too many displaced families. The killings must stop. Anyone who seeks to lead Plateau must place peace above politics. There are no second-class members in APC. You now have equal rights, equal voice, and equal opportunity.”
Meanwhile, APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda described the defection as a “new political reality” for the state, emphasizing that the opposition had lost its structure and influence.
“We are here to receive people who have moved from the Labour Party to the APC — National Assembly members, House of Assembly members, and leaders who have joined us. Today on the Plateau, there is only one political party. If you are not in APC, you are not in politics,” he said.
According to Prof. Yilwatda, the party now possesses “enough manpower, enough firepower, and adequate structure to win the Northern, Central, and Southern zones convincingly” in future elections.
Former Governor of Plateau State and Senator representing Plateau South, Simon Bako Lalong, said the wave of defections validated APC’s dominance in the state despite past setbacks. He also criticized the opponents for allegedly targeting civil servants and elected officials loyal to APC.
“They removed over 4,200 youths I employed, permanent secretaries, local government chairmen, and Assembly members were denied inauguration. But APC did not die — it is the other party that is buried forever,” Lalong stated.
Furthermore, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, said the defections reinforced the confidence of the national leadership in Plateau State’s role in APC. “We left Abuja to be here because we recognize that Plateau State has taken the right decision,” he added, promising continued support to strengthen party unity and inclusive governance.
the Chairman of the North Central Governors Forum and Governor of Nasarawa State, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, noted that Plateau remained a strong APC state despite not currently producing a governor. He observed that the turnout and the calibre of defectors reflected the party’s widespread appeal across the state’s 17 local government areas.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, former APC State Chairman and 2023 Mutfwang Campaign Director-General, Hon. Latep Dabang, explained that their move reflected confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership and the party’s direction. “We left the PDP because of deceit, oppression, and failure to perform,” he said, adding that the realignment was driven by performance, not sentiment.
Among the notable defectors were Dr. Patrick Dakum, 2023 Labour Party governorship candidate; retired military officer Gen. John Sura; and three serving members of the House of Representatives.
Political observers say Saturday’s realignment could reshape Plateau’s electoral map ahead of the 2027 elections, positioning APC as the dominant coalition in the state.
