Gov Kefas Seeks Support For Incumbents, Reconciles With Nyame

BY ATTAH ANTHONY, Jalingo

Taraba State governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, has appealed to aspirants for various elective positions on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to step down for incumbent office holders to consolidate the achievements recorded during their first tenure.

Governor Kefas made the appeal during a meeting with critical stakeholders of the party, held at the residence of APC chieftain, Abubakar Danladi Sani in Jalingo.

The meeting was part of the renewed efforts by the party leadership to avert primary elections and to promote internal harmony ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Addressing the stakeholders, the governor urged them to remain calm and support the incumbents seeking re-election in the state.

“There is something I want to beg you for, you know I am a first term governor. I am seeking reelection for the second term. There are other aspirants who are in their first term, and are seeking a comeback to their positions.

“For God sake, I am begging you to please calm down, so that we can live in peace with each other.

“Whether they are good or not, for my sake, if you believe I am good and have done well, I extended my blood to cleanse them as well,” he said.

Governor Kefas, then assured residents that his administration would continue to work towards improving security and development across all strata in the state.

“And I want to assure you, God’s willing Taraba State will change in all aspects for good.

“We are taking things gradually, and before dawn, Taraba will become like London.

“People will sleep with their two eyes close, there wouldn’t be kidnapping cases for ransom. There wouldn’t be unrest of any kind in the state,” the governor added.

Meanwhile, Governor Kefas hosted the first democratically elected governor of Taraba State, Rev. Jolly Nyame, amid growing political tension in the state.

The two politicians reportedly held a closed-door meeting before emerging together in a show of unity, smiling and exchanging warm handshakes as they boarded the same vehicle.

Rev. Nyame, who had sought to contest for the Taraba North Senatorial seat on the platform of the APC, recently defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following controversies surrounding his political ambition.

The former governor reportedly left the APC after a Federal High Court ruling in Jalingo allegedly restrained him from contesting or holding any political office for 10 years, counting from the time he was granted state pardon.

Political observers had strongly alleged that, Governor Kefas was behind Nyame’s recent political challenges in order to favour the incumbent senator representing Taraba North, Senator Shuaibu Lau.

However, speaking with journalists after the meeting, Rev. Nyame dismissed speculations of any rift between him and the governor.

“Whatever has happened, has happened. The big difference, we have already resolved it.

“I belong to a particular race to contest under the platform of APC, PDP, NPN is not a problem, but my relationship with the Governor of the state is more important than going into party differences.”

He added: “As far as I am concern, I don’t have a problem.”

Governor Kefas, on his part acknowledged that, Jolly Nyame is “our leader and we have been in consultation over time.”

“One of the reasons we are holding this meeting is to clear certain doubts and mischief that is going around, and we have understanding among ourselves and I think, he has not changed his mind from endorsing my second term ambition.

“What we are doing is planing for what is coming ahead of us and is going to be a continuous communication to ensure that, we keep Taraba where it is supposed to be.

“And is very obvious that today we have peace and safety in Taraba because of our collective efforts. So, we cannot afford to break, fight and to be different.

“We must come together for one purpose Taraba. This is what is bringing us together. It is a very good meeting and we’ll continue to have this kind of meeting because I don’t think any of us need to fight over anything.

“The ultimate is that, God wants to move this state forward and we need ourselves together to achieve this,” Governor Kefas said.