Taraba: APC Governorship Aspirants Reject Consensus Option

The contest for the 2027 governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State has intensified, with aspirants resisting moves by party stakeholders to adopt a consensus arrangement ahead of the primaries.

The development has heightened tension within the party, as Governor Agbu Kefas, who is seeking a second term under the APC platform, faces strong opposition from other contenders, including Chief David Sabo Kente and former Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo.

LEADERSHIP observed that disagreements over the mode of the primary election have exposed deep divisions within the party, especially as consultations and political negotiations continue among key stakeholders.

Amid the growing uncertainty, Governor Kefas on Friday evening held a closed-door meeting with Kente as part of efforts to ease tensions and explore possible areas of compromise ahead of the governorship primaries, an impeccable APC source said.

Although details of the meeting were not made public, the source said discussions centred on the growing agitation against the proposed consensus arrangement and the need to maintain unity within the party.

The meeting came shortly after Kente formally declared his governorship ambition in Wukari, where he reportedly rejected moves for a consensus candidate and called for a transparent and credible primary process.

Similarly, former Minister of Transportation, Alhaji Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, has continued to oppose the consensus option, insisting that only direct primaries would guarantee fairness and credibility in the selection of the party’s governorship candidate.

Sambo reportedly urged party members across the state’s 168 electoral wards to participate actively in the process and support his ambition through a transparent ballot system.