After Kano Gov Yusuf's Defection, APC Announces Date to Receive Another Northern Governor
- The APC fixed January 31, 2026, for the official reception of Taraba state governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, into the party
- The event would take place at the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo and is expected to draw party leaders and supporters from across the state
- Top national and state party leaders were expected to attend, alongside lawmakers and other political stakeholders
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Legit.ng's Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award-winning journalist with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has fixed Saturday, January 31, 2026, for the official reception of Taraba state governor, Dr Agbu Kefas, into the party.
Governor Kefas, who recently defected to the APC, had earlier paid courtesy visits to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the party’s Nationalchairman, Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
Source: Facebook
Following his defection, the governor also convened an expanded joint meeting of APC and PDP stakeholders at the TY Danjuma House in Jalingo.
The meeting, the first of its kind, brought together key political figures from both parties.
The defection ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Jolly Nyame Stadium in Jalingo and is expected to attract party loyalists from across the state’s 16 local government areas.
Shettima formally receives Kefas
Governor Kefas will be formally received by Vice President Kashim Shettima and the APC National chairman.
Also expected at the event are members of the Taraba state House of Assembly led by the Speaker, chairmen of the 16 local government councils and their councillors, members of the State Executive Council, political appointees, and notable defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
LEADERSHIP gathered that members of the National Assembly from Taraba state are also expected to join the mass movement into the APC.
Dignitaries expected at the ceremony include Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, governors elected on the platform of the APC, members of the National Assembly, and members of the party’s National, Zonal and State Working Committees.
The ceremony had earlier been postponed twice due to prevailing security challenges in parts of the country.
APC confirms the move
Confirming the development, the APC State Director of Publicity, Mr Aaron Atimas, said the event would mark a major turning point for the party in Taraba state.
Source: Facebook
According to him, the ceremony will feature a large number of defectors, including councillors, local government chairmen, members of the State House of Assembly and National Assembly members from the state.
Atimas added that the expected presence of top national leaders of the party underscored the strategic importance of Taraba State, noting that the development signals a new phase of political alignment and governance in the state.
Can mass defections of governors boost APC’s chances?
Political analysts have expressed mixed views on whether the recent wave of defections by governors to the All Progressives Congress (APC) could significantly strengthen the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking with Legit.ng, a political analyst haruna Ibrahim Nasarawa, said the influx of sitting governors into the ruling party could give APC a structural advantage, particularly in terms of control over state machinery and grassroots mobilisation. According to the analyst, governors play a critical role in shaping political outcomes at the state level.
“Having sitting governors on your side gives any party a major advantage. It improves access to political structures, funding, and mobilisation networks that are crucial during elections,” the analyst said.
However, the analyst cautioned that mass defections do not automatically translate into electoral success. He noted that internal party cohesion, public perception, and governance performance would ultimately determine APC’s fate in 2027.
“Defections can strengthen APC on paper, but voters are increasingly driven by performance. If the ruling party fails to address economic hardship and insecurity, defections alone will not guarantee victory,” he explained.
Ibrahim also warned that an influx of new members could deepen internal tensions within APC, especially over ticket allocation and power sharing.
He argued that managing ambitions and preventing factional conflicts would be critical if the party hopes to convert political realignments into electoral success.
Kano governor Yusuf officially joins APC
Legit.ng earlier reported that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf joined the APC after resigning from NNPP amid political realignment for the 2027 elections.
Political leaders expressed mixed reactions to Yusuf's defection and highlighted themes of betrayal and expectation for governance.
However, the governor's supporters celebrated Kano's shift back to APC, emphasising alignment with President Tinubu's vision for economic reform.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
