Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas has declared that the state is “100 per cent” behind the All Progressives Congress (APC) and will vote for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Kefas made the declaration on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, after meeting Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he said he had visited to welcome the President back from an overseas vacation and offer condolences over the recent Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Ondo State.
Key Highlights
- Agbu Kefas says Taraba State is “100 per cent” for APC and Tinubu in 2027.
- The governor says residents are benefiting from federal interventions in security, education, healthcare and infrastructure.
- Kefas visited President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
- The governor described the Nigerian Air Force crash in Ondo State as a national tragedy.
- Kefas was elected governor in 2023 on the platform of the PDP.
- He defected from the PDP to the APC in December 2025 and was formally received into the ruling party in January 2026.
- Kefas says closer cooperation with the Federal Government is helping attract development to Taraba.
Kefas: Taraba Will Vote for Tinubu
Speaking to State House correspondents after his meeting with Tinubu, Kefas said he attended the meeting as the leader of the APC in Taraba State.
The governor said his visit was partly to welcome Tinubu back to Nigeria and to express his condolences over the military aircraft crash in Ondo State, which claimed the lives of military personnel and other citizens.
He described the incident as a national tragedy.
Kefas said his political position was also influenced by what he described as the impact of Federal Government interventions across Taraba.
Governor Cites Security, Education and Healthcare
According to Kefas, residents across Taraba are beginning to feel the impact of support from the Tinubu administration.
He listed security, free education, healthcare and infrastructure among the areas where he said the state had benefited from federal interventions.
The governor argued that the interventions had strengthened public confidence in his administration’s decision to align with the APC.
“So the people have no doubt, and they’ve given all the assurance that Mr President is reaching out to them through me, and for that reason, they are going to vote for Mr President. Taraba State is for APC 100 per cent,” Kefas said.
Kefas’ Journey From PDP to APC
Kefas was elected governor of Taraba State in 2023 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He had previously served as chairman of the Taraba State PDP.
However, the governor formally registered as an APC member in Jalingo in December 2025 before being officially received into the ruling party in January 2026.
The reception was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Tinubu.
At the time, the presidency said governors who defect to the APC would remain leaders of the party in their respective states.
Kefas Defends APC Defection
Since joining the APC, Kefas has presented his defection as a strategy to strengthen Taraba’s relationship with the Federal Government and attract more development to the state.
In September 2026, while marking Taraba’s 35th anniversary, the governor said his decision was intended to expand development partnerships and create greater opportunities for the state.
He also maintained that the move did not amount to abandoning the people who elected him under the PDP.
Earlier in October, Kefas told APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda during a visit to Jalingo that Taraba was firmly behind the APC and would mobilise votes for Tinubu.
He cited what he described as growing federal interest in the state, including approval for a Nigerian Army division with headquarters in Jalingo.
Read also:
- Tinubu, Kefas Endorsement Boosts 2027 Political Mobilisation In Taraba
- Tinubu Returns to Abuja After Six-Day Lagos Visit, Presidency Confirms
- Tinubu Declares Three Days Mourning After NAF Plane Crash Kills 32 in Ondo
Taraba Joins Tinubu’s 2027 Support Base
Kefas’ latest declaration places Taraba among the states where governors have publicly expressed support for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
The statement also strengthens the APC’s political positioning in the state following Kefas’ defection from the PDP.
However, the governor’s “100 per cent” projection remains a political declaration rather than a guarantee of the eventual election result.
The actual level of support for Tinubu and the APC in Taraba will ultimately be determined by voters at the 2027 polls.
Federal Government’s Performance Becomes 2027 Campaign Issue
Kefas’ endorsement also highlights the growing importance of federal interventions and development projects in the political calculations ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The governor believes improvements in security, education, healthcare and infrastructure will translate into stronger support for Tinubu in Taraba.
For the APC, securing significant support in Taraba could strengthen its position in the North-East, while opposition parties are expected to challenge the ruling party’s claims and campaign on the economic and social concerns of voters.
As the 2027 election approaches, Kefas’ declaration signals that the political battle for Taraba is already beginning to take shape.
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