Mutfwang Denies 60:40 Cabinet-Sharing Deal with APC Legacy Group
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has denied reports that he agreed to allocate 40 per cent of government appointments to the All Progressives Congress (APC) legacy group led by former Governor Simon Lalong as part of the terms of his defection to the party.
Mutfwang made the clarification on Thursday at the swearing-in ceremony of three newly appointed commissioners held at the Victoria Gowon Auditorium, New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos.
The governor said he had only committed to sharing party positions and never entered into any agreement to operate a 60:40 arrangement in the allocation of cabinet positions.
«“To correct some rumours that have been going, the APC chairman is here. I never made any promise to share government positions since my journey to APC.
“I made commitment to share party positions. I never had agreement to do 60-40 cabinet,” he said.»
The clarification comes amid political discussions over the composition of the Plateau State Executive Council following Mutfwang’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC and the subsequent realignment of political forces within the state.
The APC legacy group comprises politicians who were members of the party before Mutfwang and his political associates joined the APC.
Mutfwang, however, said members of the legacy group continued to occupy a significant share of positions within the party structure, rejecting claims that his political allies had disproportionately benefited from the new political arrangement.
He said nearly 80 per cent of members of the current APC State Executive Committee were politicians his group met in the party.
“As I am talking to you today, out of the 24 who emerged as APC candidates, 16 are APC legacy members. Only eight who crossed with me became candidates for House of Assembly. Are we fair?” he asked.
The governor urged APC members in the state to put aside divisions between the government and legacy groups, stressing that all members should work together as one political family.
“The time has come when we must kill the dichotomy between the government group and legacy group. We are one big family,” he said.
Mutfwang further maintained that government appointments should be based primarily on competence, capacity and the ability of individuals to contribute meaningfully to the development of Plateau State, rather than party affiliation.
“We have people who have been in APC but we bring them into government because we believe they have something to offer, not because they are APC members,” he said.
Three Commissioners Sworn In
Earlier, the governor swore in three new commissioners as part of measures to strengthen and reposition the state’s machinery of government for improved service delivery.
The new commissioners are Hon. Ishaku Maren Yobo from Bokkos Local Government Area; Prof. Gloria Samuel from Bassa Local Government Area; and Comr. Prince Miaphen from Quan’pan Local Government Area.
Mutfwang charged the new appointees to justify the confidence reposed in them by bringing competence, commitment and fresh ideas to the administration.
He described their appointments as a call to greater responsibility and service to the people, rather than merely positions of honour.
The governor said that with about nine months remaining in the administration’s first term, there was a need to review the structure and effectiveness of governance and make necessary adjustments to maximise the remaining period.
“We were elected to serve the people, and we want to ensure that we maximise the opportunity left at our disposal,” he said.
He announced that new postings to ministries would be released by the Secretary to the State Government, with affected officials expected to ensure a proper handover.
Mutfwang added that further reorganisation of ministries and departments would be undertaken to improve efficiency and accelerate the implementation of government policies and programmes.
He also disclosed plans for additional appointments, including Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants, saying the move was intended to broaden participation and bring governance closer to the people.
The governor stressed that the changes should not be interpreted as a verdict on the performance of former members of the State Executive Council, describing them as members of the administration’s larger family.
Mutfwang Assures Residents on Security
On security, Mutfwang described recent attacks in parts of Plateau State as a setback but assured residents that his administration remained committed to protecting lives and property.
“We have the capacity, we have the determination, we have the willingness to secure the people of Plateau State,” he said.
He added that the government was reviewing existing security gaps and taking measures to strengthen its response to insecurity across the state.
Responding on behalf of the newly appointed commissioners, Yobo thanked the governor for finding them worthy of appointment and pledged their commitment to the administration’s policy direction.
He described the appointments as both a privilege and a responsibility, assuring residents that the commissioners would work diligently to improve governance and service delivery.
“We want to assure the people of Plateau State that we will do all within our reach to add value to our respective areas of responsibility,” Yobo said.
