Vice President Kashim Shettima has welcomed Dr. Agbu Kefas, Governor of Taraba State, into the All Progressives Congress (APC) and urged the governors of Bauchi and Adamawa States to consider joining the ruling party at the right time, officials and party sources said on Saturday, January 31, 2026 in Jalingo, Taraba State.
Shettima described Kefas’s defection as a moment of pride for the APC and a signal of growing confidence in the party’s leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at a grand reception held to formally receive Kefas into the APC, Shettima said the North-East geopolitical zone now has more governors under the APC platform following the shift in political allegiance by the Taraba governor.
He projected that the governors of Bauchi and Adamawa would “reconsider their political positions and align with the ruling party at the appropriate time,” underlining the strategic importance of broadening APC’s base in the region.
Governor Agbu Kefas explained that his move to the APC, along with members of his cabinet, federal and state lawmakers, and local government officials, was driven by a desire to “reposition Taraba for prosperity,” rather than personal political ambition, according to his remarks at the event.
Kefas praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a “transformational leader” whose vision aligned with the APC’s Renewed Hope agenda and promised that his administration would remain committed to people-oriented governance and development across all sectors of the state.
At the event, Shettima officially declared Governor Kefas as the leader of the APC in Taraba State, urging party members and supporters to rally behind him in efforts to promote unity and deliver democratic dividends to residents.
Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, National Chairman of the APC, described Kefas’s defection as a “masterstroke” taken in the best interest of the people of Taraba.
He said the state is “richly endowed” and that its alignment with the APC marked the beginning of a new phase of growth and revitalisation in the North-East.
Yilwatda also extended encouragement to governors still in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to “reconsider their positions” and join what he described as the party’s progressive movement.
Political analysts view Kefas’s defection and Shettima’s public call to Bauchi and Adamawa governors as part of broader efforts by the APC to consolidate political strength ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The North-East has traditionally been a competitive region politically, and the defection of a sitting governor from the opposition PDP to the ruling APC may signal shifting political calculations among regional leaders.
For urban stakeholders and business communities, such political realignments can also influence governance expectations, investor confidence, and policy continuity in key economic corridors across northern Nigeria, particularly if they affect resource allocation and access to federal-level partnerships in infrastructure and development projects.
Analysts say that aligning with the ruling party may offer states greater leverage in securing federal support for state priorities.
Governor Agbu Kefas’s defection to the APC and Vice President Kashim Shettima’s appeal to the Bauchi and Adamawa governors represent significant political developments in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.
The events highlight active efforts to expand the ruling party’s influence in the North-East, with implications for political balance and governance collaboration across neighbouring states.
