President Bola Tinubu has declared that governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are the leaders of the party in their respective states.
Tinubu made the declaration on Saturday at the official reception of Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, into the APC, held in Jalingo. The president was represented at the event by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
According to Tinubu, by virtue of his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, Governor Kefas has automatically assumed the leadership of the ruling party in Taraba State.
The president expressed his commitment to supporting the governor and his cabinet in driving development across the state, noting that Kefas had shown determination to unite Taraba and harmonise its diversity in the interest of peace and progress.
He urged the people of Taraba to rally behind the governor and give him the necessary support to succeed, while also expressing satisfaction over the defection of a governor from the North-East geopolitical zone.
Tinubu further called on governors of Adamawa and Bauchi states to join the APC-led federal government.
Earlier, the National Chairman of the APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, commended Governor Kefas for what he described as a courageous decision to defect to the ruling party.
Yilwatda said the governor made the right choice by leaving what he termed a “sinking PDP,” describing the move as a major boost that would enhance economic growth and improve opportunities for youths and women in Taraba State.
He assured party members of equal opportunities within the APC, urging the governor to unite the party and avoid discrimination.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibril, congratulated the people of Taraba, saying the defection would translate into increased development, improved infrastructure and enhanced security.
Governor Kefas, in his address, said the decision to join the APC was taken in the overall interest of Taraba State, urging citizens to focus on the future rather than dwell on the past.
“This move is not for personal interest. It is to bring jobs for the jobless, support entrepreneurs, and deliver good governance with discipline and patriotism,” he said.
The governor thanked the APC leadership for accepting him, adding that he had been handed the broom to sweep away division, poverty, tribalism and insecurity in the state.
Recall that Kefas was elected governor on the platform of the PDP in the 2023 governorship election before defecting to the APC in 2025.
