Jerry Doubles

🎂

Dear Barr. Caleb Mutfwang,

I write to you today with a deep sense of patriotism, and as someone who not only voted for you but also invested my platforms, resources, and energy to ensure your victory. I take pride in knowing that, however small my contribution, it counted in the grand scheme that delivered your resounding triumph.

You emerged as a beacon of hope for Plateau State after the years of despair under the APC administration led by Barr. Simon Bako Lalong. Many of us took time to study your record in Mangu as chairman, and we heard, like an orchestra of testimonials, how you delivered in those days. We were convinced beyond doubt that you were the right man for the job.

Your victory was historic. From the villages where elderly women sang your praises, to the cities where youths poured into the streets in jubilation, it felt like more than just a political win; it felt like salvation.

Even when your mandate was contested in the courts, you prevailed, reaffirming the people’s faith in you.

When faced with the hostile politics of the Plateau State House of Assembly, you played your hand brilliantly, dismantling the APC’s impeachment plot like a masterful chess player. Despite being in the minority, you navigated those treacherous waters and kept the house together, while your development strides continued to soar.

But today, sir, things have changed.

The PDP is crumbling nationally, with a new coalition under the ADC drawing heavyweights away. Here at home, the APC now holds the speakership in the Plateau Assembly. Just last week, a key pillar of your 2023 victory "The Masquerade" crossed over to the APC. And news reports this week indicate that you may be leaning towards aligning with the APC and its presidential ambitions for 2027.

Sir, this is not only disheartening, it is deeply disappointing.

Need I remind you that Plateau State has never been an APC stronghold? The people have rejected the APC at the presidential level since its inception. Joining the APC will not change that fact, it will only alienate the very people who put you in office.

If, as some speculate, this is a matter of political survival or “interest,” then I urge you to take a cue from others: Nyesom Wike has not formally defected, yet he manages his political alliances effectively without abandoning his base. You could do the same.

My sincere appeal: Do not join the APC, sir.

The same people who sang your praises in 2023 will weep bitterly if you turn to the very party that brought them pain. And I can assure you, if you “port” to the APC, you will go down in history as Plateau’s first one-term governor since 1999. Many, including myself, will actively campaign against you. We will mobilise family, friends, and constituencies to ensure that you do not return to that seat.

Think carefully, sir: the same individuals who inflicted hardship on our people will become your closest allies and stakeholders if you defect. How do you explain that to the people who trusted you to deliver them from those very hands?

Some may say:
"This is politics. It’s about interest. This is how it’s done."

But I say: No. If your interest is truly the people of Plateau, then you have only one job, stay with them. Do not betray their trust by joining the APC.

You still have a chance to say No. If you choose otherwise, then prepare for the consequences. What awaits you will surprise you as much as your 2023 victory surprised the APC. It will be obvious, it will be recorded, and generations will remember.

Have a thoughtful day, Your Excellency.

Regards,
Jerry.