The Scorpion's Welcome: How Mutfwang's Calculated Self-Interest is a Careless Dance with DisasterBy SD Yohanna

The axiom, "Politics is who gets what, when, and how," perfectly frames the ruthless calculus of power. In this arena, the chameleons, those who shift colour for survival, coexist with scorpions, poised to sting any threat to their relevance. It is within this treacherous ecosystem that the reported move by Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) must be dissected. Far from a strategic realignment, this maneuver is driven by a narrow, selfish motive and represents a profoundly careless step into a trap disguised as a welcome party.

The APC’s embrace is not an open door but a snare, meticulously set to derail his political journey at the very moment he seeks to extend it.

Governor Mutfwang’s motive is not selfless statesmanship but raw, political self-preservation of the most myopic kind. The move is a selfish gambit to hedge against the looming spectre of the 2027 elections. Having navigated a controversial electoral and legal path to power, the governor likely calculates that the "Emilokan" (It is my turn) wind blowing from the federal centre offers a safer harbour than the turbulent waters of the PDP. This is the chameleon’s instinct, shed the skin of the opposition to blend into the ruling foliage. However, the motive is selfish because it prioritizes personal political survival over the principles he once espoused, the platform that bore him, and the electorate who voted for a PDP vision. It is a betrayal cloaked as pragmatism, an attempt to secure "what" (power), "when" (beyond 2027), and "how" (by switching sides), with little regard for the constituency of trust he leaves behind.

The carelessness of this move is staggering, born of a fatal misreading of the APC’s internal jungle. The governor seems to believe the welcoming handshakes and negotiated "agreements" signify acceptance. In reality, they are the terms of his own political ambush. The reported condition that he forgo a direct ticket and contest a primary is the masterstroke of this trap. In a party where he has no foundational structure, no history of loyalty, and a multitude of entrenched enemies, a primary is not a contest but a ritual sacrifice. He would be thrown into an arena with seasoned APC scorpions who have spent years building their networks, only to be stung into irrelevance.

The scorpions are not hiding; they are waiting. Figures like Latep Dabang, John Sura and others who previously fled his PDP administration, are now embedded in the APC. For them, his defection is not a reunion but an invasion of their new territory, and they will sting relentlessly to protect their hard-won relevance. The big wigs, the National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, former Governor Simon Lalong, and influential powerbroker Yusuf Gagdi, represent established hierarchies of power. They did not labor to build the Plateau APC to hand its gubernatorial ticket to a vulnerable newcomer. Lalong, a former governor and minister, has his own legacy and ambitions to protect. Nentawe, as party chairman, must manage a complex web of interests and would see an imposed Mutfwang as a source of destructive friction. Gagdi commands a formidable political structure that would resist subordination. Their welcome will be icy, their strategy focused not on integration but on isolation and neutralization.

Furthermore, this move carelessly ignites a backfire of monumental proportions. By jumping ship, Mutfwang effectively abandons the PDP structure in Plateau, leaving it open for revitalization by other formidable figures like Jonah Jang, Simon Mwadkwon, or a new consensus candidate, possibly Kefiano. He would thus create a powerful, motivated opposition from his own former allies while gaining nothing but subordinate status in a hostile new camp. He will spend the remainder of his tenure draining energy and resources to build a base in the APC, distracting from governance and further weakening his administrative record. The loyalty of the appointees and Local Government Chairmen who follow him will be instantly suspect and diluted in power-sharing arrangements, leaving him a governor without a true political home.

Lastly, Governor Mutfwang’s dalliance with the APC is a classic case of a chameleon mistaking a scorpion’s nest for shelter. The selfish motive of personal political insurance blinds him to the careless nature of the venture. The "how" of his planned defection, through a humiliating primary and amidst fierce internal resistance, guarantees he will get nothing of lasting value and will likely lose the power he currently holds. The scorpions of the APC will not hesitate to sting to remain relevant, and the governor, as the newest and most vulnerable creature in their den, presents the perfect target. His political journey, rather than being extended, risks being abruptly and decisively terminated in the very arena he believed would be his salvation. The warm welcome is a phantom; the sting of reality awaits.

Think Twice and deeper, Your Excellency sir.

*COPIED FROM THE PROUDLY PLATEAU PAGE ON FACEBOOK.*