Former Governor of Plateau State and Senator representing Plateau South, Simon Lalong, on Friday formally relinquished leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to the incumbent Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, following the governor’s defection to the party.

Governor Mutfwang earlier in the day officially joined the APC and was presented with his membership card after completing the registration process, marking a major political realignment in the state.

Speaking shortly after the governor’s formal admission into the party, Senator Lalong said the APC constitution clearly recognises the sitting governor as the leader of the party in any state where the party holds power. He stressed that with the emergence of an elected APC governor in Plateau, leadership automatically devolves to him.

“Because we drafted the APC constitution, except where the Governor says, ‘While I am here, this person should be taken care of,’ but today we have an elected Governor, and the constitution provides that you are the leader of the party,” Lalong said.

He added that his role as party leader effectively ended with the governor’s entry into the APC. “Therefore, I will say that my tenure as leader ends today. Those who are waiting for me to take any action should note that I will not do so until I receive a mandate from the Governor, because he is now the leader of our party,” he declared.

Lalong’s statement was seen as a move to ensure internal cohesion and respect for party supremacy, as APC leaders and supporters welcomed Governor Mutfwang into the party’s fold.

The development signals a new phase for the APC in Plateau State, with expectations that the governor’s leadership will reshape the party’s structure and political strategy ahead of future engagements.