Nyame, Kefas reconcile after APC senatorial ticket dispute

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Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas and one of his predecessors, Jolly Nyame, on Tuesday, resolved their disagreements over the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the Taraba North Senatorial District.

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Mr Nyame disclosed this after paying an unscheduled visit to Governor Kefas at the TY Danjuma House in Jalingo, a meeting that surprised political actors in the state.

The reconciliation follows weeks of strain between the two APC leaders over the party’s senatorial nomination. Mr Nyame had indicated interest in succeeding Shuaibu Lau, who is seeking a fourth term in 2027, but later accused the party of denying him an automatic ticket.

He subsequently obtained a nomination form from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to pursue the seat.

As APC leader in Taraba State, Governor Kefas was widely perceived to have influenced the party’s decision, a development Mr Nyame said was unexpected given their long-standing political relationship.

The disagreement also stirred ethnic and religious sentiments ahead of the 2027 elections.

Mr Nyame, who hails from the Mumuye ethnic group, the largest in Taraba North, said members of the community felt marginalised in the state’s political calculations despite their numerical strength across Zing, Yorro, Ardo-Kola, Lau and Jalingo local government areas.

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Tensions were further fuelled last week when Mr Nyame hosted the APC’s 2023 governorship candidate, Emmanuel Bwacha, who recently defected to the PDP. The visit followed reports that Mr Nyame’s APC senatorial ambition had stalled.

However, the meeting appears to have eased the standoff.

READ ALSO: Taraba 2027: Kefas, Bwacha and the shrinking power of endorsements

“Whatever has happened has happened. We have resolved it,” Mr Nyame told reporters after the meeting. “The platform I contest on, PDP, APC or APN, is not the issue. My relationship with the governor is what matters. As far as I am concerned, there is no problem.”

Governor Kefas confirmed the reconciliation, describing Mr Nyame as “our leader” and dismissing suggestions that he had withdrawn support for him.

“This is not the first time we are meeting,” the governor said. “One of the reasons is to clear doubts and mischief. We understand each other.”

He stressed the need for unity, noting that recent improvements in peace and security in Taraba State were the result of collective efforts.

“We cannot afford to be divided,” Mr Kefas added. “We must come together for one purpose: Taraba, Taraba and Taraba.”