Taraba Politics Shifts as Mass Defections Sweep PDP, Bolster APC Dominance

|By Chinwendu Nwani

Taraba’s political landscape has witnessed a dramatic shake-up as a surge of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) gathers pace, with party leaders describing the movement as “unprecedented.”

Speaking with journalists on Monday in Jalingo, Dr. Jinadu Garvey Yaweh, State Secretary of the APC National Youth Vanguard, said the steady drift of key political actors into the APC had intensified sharply in recent weeks.

Yaweh revealed that all 24 members of the State House of Assembly, including the Speaker, had crossed over to the APC, marking what he called a major realignment of Taraba’s political structure. He added that top government figures—among them commissioners, the Secretary to the State Government, Gebon Timothy Kataps, and the PDP State Chairman, Abubakar Bawa—had also abandoned the PDP, leaving the party’s machinery in the state “almost empty.”

He attributed the wave of defections to what he called Governor Agbu Kefas’ unifying leadership style, describing the governor as “an embodiment of justice, fairness, and political maturity.” Yaweh further claimed that although Governor Kefas had not formally declared for the APC, he had already “aligned unofficially,” with only the ceremonial announcement pending.

He explained that the governor’s official move was delayed by recent security concerns nationwide, including the attack in Kebbi State, which forced a reassessment of political engagements.

Yaweh argued that Taraba would benefit significantly by aligning with the ruling party at the national level, insisting such political synergy would ease access to developmental projects.

Dismissing fears that Nigeria was drifting toward a one-party state, he said the current wave of defections reflected strong leadership and political clarity—factors he believes will strengthen unity and accelerate development in the state.