President Bola Tinubu has declared that governors under the All Progressives Congress (APC) remain leaders of the party in their respective states.

Mr Tinubu made the declaration on Saturday at the official reception of Governor Agbu Kefas into the APC held in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Mr Tinubu announced that Mr Kefas has assumed the leadership of the party in Taraba by virtue of his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the APC.

He expressed his determination to support the governor and his cabinet to bring development to Taraba.

Mr Tinubu noted that the governor was making efforts to unite the state and harmonise the diversities in the state to attain unity.

The president urged the people of the state to rally behind the governor and support him 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, Nentawe Yelwatda, the national chairman of the APC, commended Mr Kefas for being courageous by decamping to the ruling party.

Mr Yelwatda said Mr Kefas did not make a mistake by leaving the sinking PDP for the APC.

He described the decision as a big achievement, as it would enable the governor to get the economy of the state and the youth and women of the state to be productive.

According to him, the state will now be a part and parcel of the winning party in 2027.

He assured all the members of the APC, both old and new, of equal opportunities in the activities of the party, advising the governor to stand for everybody as one.

In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio congratulated the people of Taraba and the governor, saying the defection would benefit the state with more development and enhancement of infrastructure, including the strengthening of security.

Represented by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibril, Mr Akpabio said the decision of the governor to defect to APC would enable the state to enjoy equal opportunities in all spheres of governance at the national level.

Mr Kefas 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 fulfillment through discipline and patriotism,” he said.

The governor thanked APC for the opportunity and handing him the broom to sweep away division, poverty, tribalism, and insecurity.

Mr Kefas won under PDP in the 2023 governorship election. He decamped to APC in 2025 and secured his membership registration card.

(NAN)