From Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
Alhaji Hassan Ardo, pioneer Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba and former Envoy to Trinidad and Tobago, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Taraba on Wednesday, May 21, highlights Governor Agbu Kefas’ failure to deliver in his first two years.
Speaking to reporters in Jalingo on Thursday, Ardo expressed disappointment that the visit, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, lacked any new projects to commission ahead of Kefas’s second anniversary on May 29.
Ardo noted that while presidential visits to other states typically involve commissioning multiple public-focused projects, Tinubu only inaugurated the renovated Suntai Airport, originally built over a decade ago.
He stated, “You will notice sadly that there were no projects for the president to commission, even though the visit is coming just a few days before the second anniversary of the administration in the state. That is to tell you that the governor has nothing to show for the last two years.”
Furthermore, Ardo argued that the visit exposed the administration’s focus on luxury projects, such as renovations of the Government House and lodges, over public needs. He noted the collapsed Namnai Bridge, unrepaired since last year’s rainy season, as a critical issue causing hardship.
He said, “Namnai bridge that collapsed last year has been there, and the people have continued to suffer. I remember sometime in March, he said that the contract was awarded for the reconstruction of the bridge, but there is nothing to date. Is that bridge not more important than the airport?”
Ardo, a staunch APC member, described Taraba as an “APC state” despite electoral setbacks and urged President Tinubu to consider special federal interventions to address the hardship under Kefas’ PDP-led government.
He challenged critics to identify any significant projects initiated and completed by Kefas, asserting that the governor’s priorities do not serve the public.