Governor Agbu Kefas’s anticipated defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has ignited intense political debate in Taraba State, with many insiders viewing the move as a strategic effort to neutralise powerful contenders before the 2027 governorship race. The defection, currently the subject of consultations between PDP and APC stakeholders in Abuja and Taraba, is expected to drastically reshape the state’s political terrain.
Sources within both parties indicated that agreements have been reached to grant automatic tickets to the governor and serving legislators, a development that could sideline many long-time APC members. Emmanuel James, an APC supporter in Ibi, suggested that “If this deal stands, it would mean that Kefas and other PDP defectors would have an open field, leaving committed APC members like Chief Kente without a level playing ground.” He added that the governor is defecting to secure his political future rather than to strengthen the party.
The development has caused unease within APC circles, especially among those who have invested heavily in building the party’s grassroots base. James Jonah, a politician in southern Taraba, said there is a growing suspicion that Governor Kefas’s move is specifically designed to block formidable contender Chief David Sabo Kente from obtaining the APC ticket during the primaries. Another loyalist, Dauda Bello, argued that if Kefas joins and takes over, it would definitely cause a crisis, noting that people like Kente and Sani Danladi have sustained the party with their resources for years.
The rivalry is heightened because both Kefas and Kente hail from Wukari Local Government in southern Taraba, a zone expected to complete its two-term cycle in 2027. Victor Lawal, an APC stalwart, described Kente, who is a sibling of Kefas’s political adviser, Josiah Kente, as a “formidable force” whose grassroots support has always given the PDP “sleepless nights.”
Sources revealed that the governor and other PDP officials, including serving senators and members of the House of Representatives, are expected to defect en masse before the end of the year, based on a discussed “sharing formula” to accommodate both defectors and old members. However, former APC interim chairman Hassan Jika Ardos believes Kefas’s entry could strengthen the party, provided that “fairness and equity” are maintained. Barrister Ibrahim El-Sudi, the state chairman of the APC, assured old members that the principles of fairness, justice, and mutual accommodation would guide the integration, though he did not confirm reports of automatic tickets.
