Taraba Governor’s Reception into APC Now Moved to January
The Taraba State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has shifted the official reception of Governor Agbu Kefas to January, a move party insiders say reflects ongoing political recalibrations within the state’s ruling structures.
Although Governor Kefas has already been admitted into the APC at the ward level, the state leadership confirmed that the larger ceremony, initially set for 19 November, will no longer hold this year.
The party chair, Ibrahim El-Suldi, told reporters on Sunday that the shift was not merely a logistical adjustment but a decision shaped by both national events and internal organisational considerations.
Kefas had earlier requested that the reception be postponed in deference to the recent kidnapping of schoolgirls in Kebbi State, describing it as an inappropriate period for high-profile political festivities.
Party officials say the governor’s stance resonated with the APC leadership, which agreed that a celebration amid a national security crisis would be ill-timed.
Beyond the security concerns, El-Suldi pointed to December’s dense calendar of social and religious activities as another reason the party opted for a new date.
According to him, mobilising members across Taraba during a period when families are focused on end-of-year engagements would place unnecessary strain on the party’s grassroots.
“December comes with its own pressures. It is not strategic to pull people across the state at a time when many are preparing for Christmas and the New Year,” he said.
Despite the postponement, the chairman clarified that Governor Kefas has fulfilled all procedural requirements to formally become an APC member. His ward executives, he said, have already documented his entry into the party’s register, making the governor’s membership official even in the absence of a public ceremony.
El-Suldi also revealed that the political shift has triggered a wider movement within the state. Fifteen members of the Taraba State House of Assembly and all commissioners in the executive council have joined the APC alongside the governor.
He described the trend as part of a “natural realignment” of political actors who, in his words, are aligning themselves with the evolving political structure in the state.
“There is no cause for concern. Stakeholders are repositioning, and more will follow. This is expected in a dynamic political environment,” the chairman noted.
The APC leadership maintained that January offers a more pragmatic window for the state to host the reception. El-Suldi said consultations are ongoing to finalise a venue and date, adding that the timetable will be made public once consensus is reached.
For now, the party appears focused on consolidating recent political gains while preparing for what could become one of Taraba’s most significant political gatherings in the new year.
