Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has disclosed that he is under intense pressure from some political actors to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mutfwang made this known over the weekend during an event held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Jos.

The governor, however, insisted that he would remain in the PDP, stating that only God and the people of Plateau who elected him could determine his political future.

“It is true that they have been putting pressure on me,” he said. “But I told them that only two people can authorise me to change my party — one is the God of heaven, and the other is you, the people. Have you asked me to go anywhere?”

His question was met with a loud “No” from the audience.

The development follows weeks of speculation about Mutfwang’s possible move to the ruling APC — rumours which party leaders in the state have already dismissed.

At a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Jos, APC members unanimously voted against a motion proposing the governor’s defection. The motion, moved by former APC deputy national secretary Festus Fuanter, was rejected through a voice vote.

“We don’t want anybody coming to our party. You do your thing, and we’ll do ours,” Fuanter said, adding that the APC was strong enough ahead of the 2027 general elections without needing external reinforcement.

Reacting, Mutfwang said those opposing his alleged defection were acting out of fear.

> “So, those who are rejecting me for what I didn’t even ask for are wasting their time,” he said. “The truth is that 60 to 70 percent of the people in the APC in Plateau would be happy to have us join them. They know I will not do that — and that’s why they’re angry and twisting things.”

He added that he would not be drawn further into the matter, saying, “It’s a story for another day.”

Since the 2023 elections, the PDP has lost several governors to the APC, including Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, and Peter Mbah of Enugu. Douye Diri of Bayelsa has also resigned from the PDP and is reportedly on his way to the ruling party.

The Constitutional Council of Cameroon has officially declared 92-year-old Paul Biya the winner of the country’s October 12 presidential election, extending his decades-long rule.

Biya, in office since 1982, secured a fresh seven-year mandate after polling 53.66 percent of the vote. His closest rival, 76-year-old Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former government spokesperson, came second with 35.19 percent.

With this victory, Biya begins his eighth consecutive term and is set to remain in office until at least 2032, by which time he will be nearly 100 years old.

The result cements his position as the world’s oldest serving head of state and one of the longest-ruling leaders globally.

Opposition parties and civil society groups have questioned the credibility of the election, citing reports of irregularities and security incidents, including gunfire near Tchiroma’s home in Garoua.

A former Editor of The PUNCH newspapers, Mr. Dayo Oketola, is set to be named as the spokesman to the newly appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Joash Ojo Amupitan.

Oketola is to replace Rotimi Oyekanmi, who served under the previous INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu.

A multiple-award-winning journalist, Oketola brings nearly two decades of experience in news, business journalism and editorial leadership. He previously served as News Editor and Business Editor at The Punch, and more recently as its Editor, where he led the newspaper to win the Newspaper of the Year award at the 2023 Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA).

Shortly after his inauguration, Amupitan reaffirmed his commitment to restoring public confidence in elections, saying the success of INEC depends on teamwork, accountability and ensuring every voter’s confidence that their vote counts.

Oketola’s appointment is seen as part of the commission’s broader communication and public engagement strategy as it enters a new phase under Amupitan’s leadership.