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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas has denied rumours of a fallout with elder statesman and former Defence Minister General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd), insisting his switch from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was conviction-driven, not cash-fuelled.
Speaking to State House correspondents on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu, Kefas portrayed Danjuma as an enduring father figure. He emphasised their unbreakable bond, forged through shared military roots and years of association, with no room for discord.
“I don’t have any problem with TY Danjuma; he is my father. Since we started politics, nothing has ever come between us. People just speculate, but there is no issue at all,” the governor said.
Kefas revealed his recent visit to the retired general was a personal gesture of gratitude and solidarity. Though Danjuma belongs to no party, Kefas consulted him before defecting — and received full backing.
“Before I defected, I secured his approval. He assured me of his support whenever I need it,” he stated.
Dismissing “cash-for-defection” whispers as fiction, Kefas stressed his move stemmed from strategic needs for Taraba’s growth, not bribes. “Nobody gave me money to defect to the APC,” he affirmed.
Optimistic in his new APC home, Kefas vowed to secure Taraba for Tinubu in 2027, pointing to grassroots gains in security and agriculture. “Delivering Taraba will not be difficult because our policies are already impacting the grassroots,” he said.
The Tinubu meeting focused on security, farming, residents’ welfare and federal–state synergy. Kefas described it as “very meaningful”, noting that it was his first engagement with the President since joining the APC and that it had paved the way for tighter collaboration.
Brushing off defection backlash, Kefas said his track record keeps him anchored with voters. He noted that security has improved markedly, curbing violence and boosting mobility, even though no place is crime-proof.
According to him, agriculture is also thriving, with imported tractors, mechanisation and plans for local processing plants to add value, fortify supply chains and create jobs.
He urged unity during the overlapping Christian Lenten season and Muslim Ramadan, calling for prayers for peace and progress.
Kefas’s late-2025/early-2026 PDP-to-APC move, which remains polarising in Taraba politics, has triggered defections by lawmakers, council chairmen and party executives — eroding the PDP’s grip and priming a fiercer 2027 contest.
