Former Governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame, has defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing unfair treatment within the ruling party.
Mr Nyame confirmed his defection during a recent meeting with a PDP governorship aspirant, Emmanuel Bwacha.
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A video of the meeting, in which the former governor openly announced his decision to return to the PDP, has since been widely circulated on social media platforms, particularly Facebook.
In the footage, Mr Nyame is seen telling party stakeholders that he no longer felt accommodated in the APC, alleging persistent marginalisation despite his contributions to the party.
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According to sources familiar with the meeting, the former governor said his decision to dump the APC was not driven by personal ambition alone but by what he described as the collective interest of the people of Taraba State.
“He made it clear that he was not fairly treated in the APC and that his return to the PDP was a deliberate decision taken in the interest of his people and the development of the state,” a source told PREMIUM TIMES.
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Mr Nyame, who governed Taraba State between 1999 and 2007, was later reported to have obtained a PDP nomination form to contest Taraba North senatorial seat ahead of the 2027 general elections, signalling a full return to active partisan politics.
His defection comes amid growing political realignments in Taraba State, where senior politicians have been repositioning as parties struggle to manage internal disputes and competing ambitions.
However, the former governor’s political plans may face legal scrutiny, following his past conviction for corruption, over which he received a presidential pardon in 2020. Party officials say the issue of eligibility, if raised, would ultimately be determined by the courts.
Efforts to obtain official reactions from the APC and the PDP leadership in the state were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
