Governor Agbu Kefas has emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State after defeating former Minister of State for Transport, Muazu Jaji, in the party’s primary election held on Thursday.
Mr Kefas polled 166,357 votes to secure the APC ticket, while Mr Jaji scored 4,110 votes, according to results announced by party officials after the exercise.
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Reacting to his victory, Mr Kefas described the outcome as a collective mandate and called for unity among party members ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
“I humbly accept the confidence and trust reposed in me through this victory,” Mr Kefas said in a statement after the declaration of results.
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“This victory is not mine alone. It belongs to all of us, every party member who believes in our shared vision and every stakeholder who worked tirelessly and stood with us in faith and hope.”
The governor thanked the APC leadership, delegates, youth and women groups, as well as supporters across the state for backing his aspiration.
He also appealed to other aspirants and aggrieved members to close ranks with the party.
“We may have contested as aspirants, but from this moment we move forward as one family with one purpose and one destination,” he said.
“The time for contest is over. The time for unity and collective action begins now.”
Mr Kefas added that his administration would continue to provide “leadership with fairness, humility and commitment to the welfare and progress” of Taraba residents.
The primary was held amid weeks of internal tension and allegations of manipulation within the Taraba APC.
Earlier reports suggested that the exercise was marred by allegations of irregularities, confusion and internal divisions, with several aspirants questioning the credibility of the exercise.
One of the governorship aspirants, David Kente, had alleged that genuine House of Representatives primaries did not take place in some parts of the state.
According to him, electoral materials reportedly arrived late in some locations, while results allegedly emerged before voting processes were completed.
Mr Kente also claimed that social media videos showed completed voting exercises before materials were distributed in certain areas, raising concerns over the transparency of the process.
However, the Taraba APC dismissed the allegations.
The party spokesperson, Aaron Artimas, insisted that due process was followed and described the claims as “false and misleading.”
The controversy followed an earlier crisis within the party.
The Guardian previously reported on 8 May that a chieftain of the APC in Taraba, Yakubu Mohammed, accused some stakeholders of running the party like a “dictatorial system.”
Mr Mohammed alleged that loyal party members were being sidelined while dissenting voices were suppressed ahead of the primaries.
“It is very unfortunate and worrisome looking at how things are unfolding in the affairs of APC Taraba State,” he said at the time.
“This is not military administration. This is democracy and we are not your slaves.”
The APC chieftain also alleged that the political atmosphere in the party deteriorated following what he described as Governor Kefas’ growing influence in the opposition party despite being associated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Political observers say Mr Kefas’ emergence may further reshape the political landscape in Taraba, where internal realignments and defections have continued to alter party structures ahead of the 2027 elections.
The APC leadership in the state is yet to formally respond to renewed concerns by some aggrieved aspirants following Thursday’s governorship primary.
