President Bola Tinubu has declared that governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) remain the party's leaders in their respective states.
He made the declaration at the official reception of Governor Agbu Kefas into the APC held in Jalingo, Taraba State yesterday.
Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu announced that Governor Kefas had assumed the leadership of the party in Taraba State by the virtue of his defection from the PDP to the APC.
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He expressed determination to support the governor and his cabinet in bringing development to the state.
He noted that the governor was making efforts to unite the state and harmonise its diversities to achieve unity.
The president urged people of the state to rally behind the governor and support him in his efforts to succeed.
He expressed satisfaction with the defection of a governor in the North East geopolitical zone, calling on both Adamawa and Bauchi to join the party at the centre.
Earlier, the national chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentawe Yelwatda, commended Kefas for being courageous by decamping to the ruling party.
Yelwatda said Kefas did not make a mistake by leaving the PDP. He described the decision as a major achievement, as it would enable the governor to boost the state's economy and make the youth and women of the state more productive.
According to him, the state will now be a part and parcel of the winning party in 2027.
He assured all members of the APC, both old and new, of equal opportunities in the party's activities, advising the governor to stand for everybody as one.
He further advised the governor to unite the party and not discriminate.
In his remarks, president of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, congratulated the people of Taraba and the governor, saying the defection would benefit the state further by advancing infrastructure development and strengthening security.
Represented by the deputy senate president, Sen. Barau Jibril, Akpabio said the governor's decision to defect to the APC would enable the state enjoy equal opportunities in all spheres of governance at the national level.
Governor Kefas said the event was to shape the future of Taraba, encouraging all in attendance and everyone not to dwell on the past but to focus on the future.
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He said the move was for the people of Taraba, not for his personal interests.
"The move is to bring jobs for the jobless and business for entrepreneurs. To serve the state and be committed to the people and show results and fulfilment through discipline and patriotism," he said.
The governor thanked APC for the opportunity and handed him the broom to sweep away division, poverty, tribalism and insecurity.
Kefas won the PDP gubernatorial primary in 2023.
He decamped to the APC in 2025 and secured his membership registration card.
