115 groups back Mutfwang’s 2027 re-election bid as APC launches campaign

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s 2027 re-election bid has received a boost, with 115 support groups declaring interest in his campaign as the All Progressives Congress (APC) inaugurates its campaign council.

The Director-General of the Mutfwang/Piyo 2027 Governorship Campaign Council, Sir Joseph Ari, disclosed this on Monday during the inauguration of the campaign council at Government House, Rayfield, Jos.

Ari said the groups had expressed interest in the political project, adding that traditional rulers, religious leaders, women, youths and other organised groups had also indicated solidarity with the governor.

He pledged a disciplined and coordinated campaign focused on verifiable achievements, grassroots mobilisation, constructive engagement and development priorities.

The inauguration was led by Mutfwang, who expressed confidence that his administration’s achievements and ongoing programmes would secure renewed mandates for President Bola Tinubu, himself and other APC candidates in Plateau State.

The campaign is seeking the re-election of Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, Mutfwang and his deputy, Ngo Josephine Piyo, alongside APC candidates for the National and State Assemblies.

Mutfwang charged campaign council members to pursue a peaceful, disciplined and issue-based campaign anchored on performance and grassroots mobilisation.

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He acknowledged the challenges confronting Plateau residents but maintained that his administration had recorded progress that deserved consolidation.

The governor described governance as a continuous process, saying no administration could complete all development projects within a single term.

“There is no government that ends everything. Every government is a relay. Our duty is not to make others look bad; it is to see how we can collectively make Plateau State look better,” he said.

On security, Mutfwang disclosed plans to deploy at least 800 trained forest guards and commission another batch of retrained Operation Rainbow personnel to strengthen protection in vulnerable communities.

He also said his administration was working to facilitate the safe return of internally displaced persons to their ancestral communities.

Defending the economic reforms of the Tinubu administration, the governor urged Nigerians to consider the fiscal and structural conditions inherited by the Federal Government in 2023.

He cited improvements in foreign reserves and fuel availability as indicators of progress.

Mutfwang also highlighted his administration’s interventions to cushion economic hardship in Plateau, including the Tin City Metro buses, revival of metropolitan rail services, a 50 per cent reduction in tuition fees in state-owned tertiary institutions and a 300 per cent increase in student allowances.

He acknowledged the benefits of federal student loan and scholarship programmes for Plateau indigenes pursuing higher education.

On party organisation, the governor urged APC stakeholders to put aside internal differences and build a formidable grassroots structure, stressing that electoral victories were secured at polling units rather than political gatherings in Jos.

Plateau APC Chairman, Rufus Bature, described the inauguration as a major step towards establishing a coordinated campaign structure, urging members to demonstrate commitment, loyalty and accountability.

The campaign council also called on party supporters and residents to attend the scheduled November 14 visit of Tinubu, Shettima, APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda and other party leaders.

The campaign leadership said its message would centre on continuity and consolidation, with security, education, transportation and economic welfare featuring prominently in its mobilisation efforts.