Taraba Tiv Elders Disown Statement Rejecting Kefas’ 2027 Campaign Team

Some Tiv elders and community stakeholders in Taraba State have disassociated themselves from a statement purportedly rejecting the composition of Governor Agbu Kefas’ 2027 All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign team, describing it as unauthorised and not representative of the collective position of the Tiv people.

The elders made their position known during consultations conducted by Agaigbe Ola Mlahaga, the governor’s Special Assistant on Entrepreneurship, following the circulation of a statement titled “Official Statement of Rejection of Appointments into Governor Agbu Kefas’s 2027 APC Campaign Team by the Taraba Tiv Elders Forum” on October 8, 2026.

Mlahaga, in a clarification issued to journalists in Jalingo, said the elders and stakeholders he contacted individually, through telephone conversations and face-to-face meetings, denied participating in the alleged deliberations or authorising anyone to speak on their behalf.

He said the consultations also failed to establish that the purported forum represented the recognised collective voice of Tiv elders across the state.

According to him, the statement should not be interpreted as evidence that Tiv people in Taraba State had collectively rejected Kefas and his 2027 campaign team.

Mlahaga, however, acknowledged concerns among Tiv communities over insecurity, displacement, the protection of ancestral lands and the safe return of displaced persons, stressing that the issues required urgent and sustained attention.

He said the elders he consulted advocated peaceful engagement and efforts to restore stability, warning against exploiting the genuine concerns of affected communities to create political divisions.

He added that support for peace initiatives did not mean all challenges had been resolved, but underscored the need for constructive dialogue and practical interventions to facilitate the return of displaced families and restore their livelihoods.

On the 2027 general election, Mlahaga urged Tiv people to verify political statements before accepting or circulating them, warning against allowing publications of uncertain origin to influence their political decisions.

He also called on the state government to sustain engagement with legitimate community representatives, noting that the Tiv people deserved security, justice, inclusion and sustainable development.

Mlahaga further claimed that the elders and stakeholders he consulted expressed their intention to support Kefas’ political aspiration and APC candidates in their respective local government areas in the 2027 general election.

He clarified, however, that his statement reflected the outcome of his personal consultations and should not be construed as a formal resolution endorsed by every Tiv elder or community in Taraba State.

He urged Tiv elders, youths, women and other stakeholders to remain calm, pursue their interests through peaceful engagement and avoid statements capable of deepening suspicion or undermining efforts to restore peace.

The governor’s aide maintained that the Tiv community could defend its ancestral interests and demand solutions to insecurity and displacement while participating responsibly in the state’s political process.