Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State have adopted Governor Agbu Kefas as the party's consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election.

Besides the governor, three other aspirants had purchased nomination forms, Chief David Kente, former Minister of Power Sale Mamman, and former Minister of Transport Muazu Jaji.

The APC State Publicity Secretary, Aaron Artimas, told Daily Trust that Kefas was endorsed during a stakeholders' meeting held on Saturday in Jalingo, the state capital. He noted that the other aspirants were duly invited but did not attend.

According to him, those present included serving senators, members of the House of Representatives, members of the State House of Assembly, and former deputy governors.

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Artimas added that the meeting also resolved that candidates for other elective positions would emerge either through direct primaries or consensus, based on recommendations of a committee set up to engage aspirants across the zones.

However, the consensus arrangement has drawn criticism, with one of the aspirants, Chief David Kente, rejecting the process.

Kente's media consultant, Ben Adaji, told Daily Trust that the meeting was convened by the governor rather than the party's leadership, which informed the decision of other aspirants to boycott it.

He argued that only the party leadership has the authority to convene a meeting to adopt a consensus candidate.

Adaji insisted that Kente remains in the race and called for a level playing field, stressing that all party members should be allowed to participate freely in the primaries.

"We must seize this opportunity, and our party must ensure fairness for all aspirants seeking its governorship ticket," he said.