Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday said the entry of Plateau State into the All Progressives Congress (APC) affirms the ruling party’s character as a truly national platform open to all Nigerians committed to unity, peace and inclusive development.

He described the APC as the destination for citizens who believe in a united future, stressing that the party remains anchored on national cohesion and inclusive governance.

Shettima spoke at the grand reception of Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, and his supporters into the APC at the Jos Polo Field, where he said the political realignment reaffirmed Nigeria’s shared destiny.

“Plateau is a reminder that what powers every nation is unity, a unity rooted not in sameness, but in shared purpose. It is on that basis that we gather here today,” the Vice President said.

He recalled Plateau’s historic contributions to Nigeria’s survival and cohesion, paying tribute to former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, and other illustrious sons and daughters of the state who played defining roles in preserving national unity.

“In General Gowon, Plateau gave Nigeria a leader whose strength lay in reconciliation. His legacy reminds us that nations survive not by conquest, but by healing,” Shettima said.

The Vice President conveyed assurances from President Bola Tinubu that Governor Mutfwang would enjoy full standing and recognition within the APC, noting that good governance is an asset to any political movement committed to national progress.

He said Plateau’s entry into the APC underscores the party’s readiness to embrace diversity and build consensus across political, ethnic and religious lines, adding that the state’s contributions to national life extend beyond politics to commerce, scholarship, arts and peacebuilding.

Commending Governor Mutfwang, Shettima described him as a unifying leader whose administration has begun repositioning Plateau State from conflict and stagnation towards peace and transformation.

He praised the governor’s initiatives in peacebuilding, renewable energy deployment for primary healthcare centres, agricultural expansion, transport infrastructure renewal, and people-focused budgeting in education, healthcare and youth empowerment.

Earlier, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, commended APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, for leading Plateau State into the APC fold.

He assured Governor Mutfwang of victory in 2027, describing his defection as completing APC’s political map in the North Central.

Akpabio also said President Tinubu has remained a leader for all Nigerians, regardless of faith, while offering prayers for the victims of past crises in Plateau State and pledging the National Assembly’s support for the resettlement of displaced persons.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, described the event as historic, noting that Plateau was the last state in the North Central zone to join the APC.

He urged Governor Mutfwang to prioritise reconciliation and inclusive leadership as leader of the party in the state.

APC National Chairman, Prof. Yilwatda, said Governor Mutfwang’s entry reflected a growing national realignment, disclosing that candidates of several other parties had also joined the APC.

He expressed confidence that Plateau State would support President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, described Mutfwang as “one of the best and brightest,” assuring that Plateau would record greater prosperity under the APC.

In his remarks, Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, said the APC was now complete in the North Central and would deliver massive support for President Tinubu in 2027.

Speaking on his decision to join the APC, Governor Mutfwang said Plateau State had chosen a path that would reposition it for stronger collaboration with the Federal Government and full support for President Tinubu’s re-election.

He praised the President’s commitment to national renewal and unity and acknowledged Vice President Shettima’s role in encouraging his decision to defect to the APC.