Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has defended his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as a strategic decision taken in the long-term interest of Plateau State.

Mutfwang made the remarks during an engagement with members of the Plateau State Association, USA (PSA-USA) in Washington, D.C., where diaspora leaders also urged him to ensure policy consistency and strengthen the investment climate to harness the full potential of Plateau indigenes abroad.

The meeting was led by PSA-USA National President, Dr. Barth Shepkong, alongside members of the association’s National Executive Committee and other stakeholders.

Addressing concerns over his political realignment, the governor stressed that the defection was not driven by partisan ambition but by the need to secure Plateau State’s stability, development, and access to broader national opportunities.

He called on Plateau indigenes, both at home and in the diaspora, to work collectively toward building a peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous state, urging them to set aside tribal, ethnic, and regional sentiments in favour of unity and shared progress.

Mutfwang expressed appreciation for the diaspora community’s constructive role, describing it as a critical partner in Plateau’s development. He outlined his administration’s efforts to stabilise the state, strengthen institutions, and create an enabling environment for investment and economic growth.

A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and made available to journalists in Abuja highlighted the significant contributions of the Plateau diaspora beyond remittances. These include human capital, professional expertise, global networks, and investment capacity across sectors such as healthcare, education, finance, technology, entrepreneurship, and peacebuilding.

According to PSA-USA, unlocking this potential depends largely on confidence in governance, policy predictability, and a supportive business environment. The association emphasised that investor confidence is closely linked to contract integrity and effective dispute-resolution mechanisms.

“Diaspora investors consistently identify reliability and consistency in honouring agreements as key drivers of sustained investment interest,” the communiqué stated.

The delegation commended Governor Mutfwang for his openness, steadiness, and inclusive leadership, particularly his consistent engagement with the diaspora through dialogue, which members described as trust-building and encouraging.

PSA-USA stressed that diaspora engagement must evolve from goodwill to structured, transparent, and institutionalised collaboration.

It noted that clarity of process, continuity, and mutual accountability are essential to translating diaspora interest into tangible development outcomes.

The association also briefed the governor on its recent engagements with the United States Congress and other international stakeholders, explaining that the outreach was undertaken to support peacebuilding efforts and ensure accurate representation of Plateau State’s realities in international policy circles.

Reiterating its support for the creation of a Plateau State Diaspora Commission, PSA-USA recalled that the proposal received broad endorsement during its 20th anniversary celebration.

The group said the commission would institutionalise diaspora engagement and improve coordination, while also highlighting the R64 Diaspora Campaign Fund, a non-partisan initiative aligned with Plateau’s 64 wards to complement government programmes at the grassroots