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Kefas on the brink: Why Taraba Gov. may lose 2027 re-election bid over lack of performance amidst building rejection

November 7, 2026

…the General’s Boy Card May Not Save him This Time, he couldn’t break Jinx of underperformance after Ishaku Darius

By Tom Garba

As the 2027 general elections draw closer, one question dominates political discussions in Taraba State: Can Governor Agbu Kefas survive his own record to win re-election?

For many in the state, the answer is increasingly tilting towards no. Despite being young, and despite the high expectations that greeted him as a retired senior military officer believed to possess agility, discipline and activeness, Kefas has been rated low by a large section of the electorate in terms of performance and people-oriented policies.

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Taraba, like other states in the North East, is grappling with underdevelopment, poor grassroots delivery, insecurity threats and backwardness in critical sectors like health, education and physical infrastructure.
Critics argue that Kefas’ non-performance in these sectors has exposed his leadership weaknesses. To the ordinary voter, the promise of a soldier-governor who would bring order, speed and delivery has not translated into visible change in their communities, schools, hospitals and roads.
The popular feeling in Jalingo, Wukari, Bali, Takum, Gembu and other towns is that Taraba is still moving from frying pan to fire, from bad to worse, a one step forward and two steps backward state if judged from the history of the state since its creation.
Many recall that former Governor Darius Ishaku underperformed for eight years under the PDP. For them, the jinx of continuity of less performance must end, and Kefas has not broken that jinx.

Taraba is one of the tourist-centred states in Nigeria, viable and attractive to Nigerians and foreigners from all walks of life. The Mambilla Plateau, Gembu and its unique gift of natural tourism centres remain one of the greatest assets of the state.
Analysts say the Governor could not leverage on that aspect or utilise the Mambilla gift to drive tourism, jobs, revenue and international attention. While other states are marketing their tourism potentials, Taraba’s tourism advantage has remained largely untapped under Kefas.

When Taraba is compared to Adamawa, a sister and neighbouring state, the gap becomes painful for Taraba people.
Governor of Adamawa State, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has transformed his state from a hopeless state to a hopeful state with impressive and lasting legacies. He built roads, constructed flyovers to spur development, created Emirates and Chiefdoms which were some of the high desires of the indigenes, ensured prompt payment of salaries, constructed mega projects like the international market, international conference centre, the Adamawa world class stadium and sports complex, and rolled out a wallet of empowerment aimed at salvaging poverty.
These are some of the many people-oriented policies that critics say are lacking in Taraba State and which Kefas could not deliver. The comparison has become a powerful campaign weapon for the opposition.

Kefas’ failure to unite the APC family and his rushed decision to decamp from PDP to APC is equally an issue to contend with.
Instead of entering the APC as a unifier, he entered a house already divided by competing interests, ambitions and old grudges. That division has left him without a solid party structure to defend him when the political battle becomes fierce.
The opposition is harping on that weakness to get rid of him in 2027.

The biggest threat to Kefas comes from Emmanuel Bwacha of the PDP.
Bwacha is a more grassroots politician, a more experienced politician, having been in both the higher and lower chambers of the National Assembly as Senator and Member of the House of Representatives.
He is coming from the same Southern Taraba like Kefas, same tribe, Jukun, and with deep connection to the traditional institution. Political observers say Kefas will have to do more to get his jugular out from the political claws of Bwacha.

Bwacha understands the terrain, speaks the language of the grassroots, and is positioning himself as the alternative to a governor many now call a zero-performing governor.

One connection that Kefas has relied upon is his link to TY Danjuma. But analysts warn that the TY Danjuma Boy card may not work out well for him this time around.
Emmanuel Bwacha too, many have claimed, is a TY Boy and has strong political affinity with the legendary TY Danjuma, who is considered the Political Father of the State and can decide who becomes the next Governor of Taraba State.

If both men claim affinity to the same political father, then the contest will be decided not by godfatherism, but by performance and grassroots acceptance, where Kefas is currently weak.

The candidates of other political parties are also strong and waging war of victory against Kefas. It means Kefas must work assiduously to win his re-election bid.
He is no longer facing a weak opposition. He is facing a united anger over non-performance, a strong PDP challenger, a divided APC, and an electorate that has become more aware and more demanding.

Above all, Kefas is facing the people who will decide his fate with their votes. He needs to do more, to strategise better and to consult widely.

Left to what he has done so far, many voters say they will likewise give him his last political card and his joker of failure.

To survive, Kefas must urgently show visible performance in roads, health, education, security and empowerment. He must unite the APC, reconcile aggrieved stakeholders, leverage Taraba’s tourism potential, and reconnect with the grassroots.

Otherwise, 2027 may not be a re-election. It may be a referendum on failure.

The crux of the issue de-campaigning Kefas is his less performance. Until he changes that narrative with concrete delivery, his re-election mandate remains woefully under threat.

Tom Garba ANIPR, FSPSP
Is a Policy, Political analyst
Writes from Jimeta Yola,
Adamawa state
08030525759, tomgarba5@gmail.com