The Taraba State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, has challenged Governor Agbu Kefas to account for the approximately $268 million financing agreements signed with the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development in June 2026.
Key Highlights
- PDP candidate Emmanuel Bwacha asked Governor Agbu Kefas to account for about $268 million in ECOWAS Bank financing.
- He spoke while flagging off the PDP’s 2027 governorship campaign in Zing LGA.
- The June 2026 agreements cover an industrial park, 10,000 hectares of irrigated rice and a 50MW solar plant in Jalingo.
- Bwacha asked what has been drawn, spent and created, and what repayment obligations Taraba faces.
- He pledged to prioritise agriculture, infrastructure, security, education and healthcare if elected.
Bwacha made the demand while declaring the PDP’s 2027 governorship campaign open in Zing Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The PDP candidate alleged that the funds have not been adequately accounted for and called on the state government to disclose the status and utilisation of the loan.
According to him, public borrowing must be accompanied by transparency, accountability, value for money and measurable benefits for the people.
“The $268 million ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development loan obtained by Governor Agbu Kefas is missing in thin air.
“We demand to know the whereabouts of the money and what it has been spent on,” Bwacha said.
What The Financing Agreements Cover
He recalled that Taraba State and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development signed three financing agreements in June 2026, reportedly valued at approximately $268 million.
He said the agreements cover the development of an integrated industrial park, 10,000 hectares of irrigated rice production and modern processing facilities, as well as a 50-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant in Jalingo.
Bwacha questioned the amount of the financing that has been accessed, the expenditure incurred so far and the benefits generated by the proposed projects.
“The appropriate questions are straightforward: What has been drawn? What has been spent? What value has been created?
“What jobs have been generated? What assets will remain for future generations? And what repayment obligations will ultimately fall upon the people of Taraba?” he asked.
He insisted that residents have the right to demand explanations whenever public resources were committed through borrowing, stressing that such funds should translate into lasting benefits for the state.
Read also:
- Sen. Bwacha Promises To Prioritize Citizens Welfare, Promote Inclusive Governance In Taraba
- Bwacha Campaign Council Criticises Governor Kefas’ Performance In Taraba
Bwacha Outlines Priorities
The PDP candidate also raised concerns over infrastructure, public expenditure, borrowing, social services and the relationship between government and communities, arguing that such issues required scrutiny based on facts, evidence and the experiences of residents.
He said governance should focus on improving the lives of ordinary people, including farmers, civil servants, pensioners, unemployed graduates, mothers seeking healthcare and children requiring quality education.
“Government is not simply the possession of power. Government is the responsibility that comes with power,” he said.
Bwacha pledged that, if elected governor in 2027, his administration would prioritise agriculture, infrastructure, security, education, healthcare, employment, enterprise and human capital development.
He also promised to strengthen rural security, improve roads serving agricultural communities and facilitate the transportation of perishable produce from areas such as Lau, Karim Lamido and Sardauna.
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