Col Kefas, A Rising Star In Nigerian Politics And Challenges Ahead

Taraba State governor-elect, Col Agbu Kefas was born on November 12, 1970, in Wukari, Taraba State (the then Gongola State) to the family of Mr and Mrs Kefas.

His family is renowned for great strides and achievements in the military and public service.

Agbu is a younger brother of the late Air Commodore Ibrahim Kefas who served as the military governor of Cross River State between December 1993 and September 1994. Ibrahim also served as the military governor of Delta state in 1996 during Gen Sani Abacha’s military rule.

If eventually inaugurated on Monday, May 29, 2023, the Kefas family from Wukari, the ancient city of Kwararafa Kingdom, will be recorded as the first family that ever produced two governors in the history of Nigeria.

Agbu Kefas is a product of some of the most reputable institutions of learning in Nigeria, namely; the Nigeria Defence Academy in Kaduna where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and Defence Studies in 1994; the University of Ibadan in Oyo State, where he bagged a Master’s degree in Legal Criminology and Security Psychology in 2005 and the Delta State University, Abraka where he obtained a Master’s degree in Public Administration in 2008. Also, he has a number of prestigious ‘executive’ education certifications from global institutions like Harvard Kennedy School in the US.

Kefas Agbu is married to Patience and they have four children. He served in the military for 21 years before retirement.

Upon retirement, he was appointed the chairman, Governing Board of Directors of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) between 2013 and 2015.

In 2020, Kefas succeeded Mr Victor Bala Kona to become the state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State.

In an intensive contest at the governorship primary election among seven aspirants, including former chairman of the PDP in the state, Victor Bala Kona; former chairman of the State Budget and Planning, Bubajoda Mafindi; former senator representing the state at national assembly, Sen Joel Danlami Ikenya.

Others in the governorship primary election were the accountant general of the state, Ayuba Aminu Kotolo; Prof Jerome Nyameh, a lecturer with Taraba State University and former speaker, Taraba State House of Assembly, Hon Joseph Albasu Kunini.

Kefas defeated them and became the flagbearer of the party in the 2023 governorship election.

In March 2023, Kefas was declared winner of the Taraba State governorship election with 257,996 votes, defeating close rival parties – NNPP and the APC.

The young governor-elect with a military background was no doubt trusted with the mantle of leadership in the state after he interfaced with the locals across the sixteen local government areas with promises of tackling the persistent insecurity and bringing back agriculture as a means of livelihood to the local farmers.

Kefas was also able to convince both the rural and urban citizens in the state of his ability to make education free and compulsory for every child in the state. He also promised quality healthcare for women and children as well as provisions of good healthcare services.

While recently playing host to the Nigerian Youth Council, he promised fresh and 95 percent young people in his administration.

With his youthful age and timely opportunities in the Nigerian politics, it is expected of the incoming governor to tackle the challenges being faced by the people of the state headlong in order to shape his political future.

Though it is a known fact that when inaugurated, Kefas will be inheriting huge amounts of debt from his predecessor, Governor Darius Ishaku, ranging from domestic and foreign debts and loans accumulating to over N200 billion.

Other areas of concern are non-payment of pension, local government salary arrears, unemployment, unsettled communal crises and disputed appointment of traditional rulers which recently sparked crisis in Kalim-Lamido that resulted in killings and destruction of properties in the area and other chiefdoms.

To write his name in the good book of politics, the governor-in-waiting must also be ready to accomplish his promises during the campaigns by providing healthcare, return internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes, revamp the agricultural sector and make education free and possible for all children in the state.