Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide, Bashir Ahmad, has stirred political waters by asserting that the Governor of Taraba State and another governor from the North West will, “in just a matter of days,” formally defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Naija News reports that Ahmad made this assertion in a post via his verified Twitter handle on Tuesday, October 7.
He wrote: “In just a matter of days, the Governor of Taraba State and another Governor from the North West will officially join our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
While no names beyond Taraba have been confirmed, the assertion by Ahmad has reignited speculation about a continuing wave of defections from opposition parties to the ruling APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
The pronouncement by Ahmad aligns with recent reports of governors and political leaders abandoning opposition platforms to align with the APC.
Taraba State has been in the spotlight. Recent pressure from youth groups has called on Governor Agbu Kefas (PDP) to switch allegiance to the ruling party, citing better access to federal resources.
Although the governor has made no official comment, his increasingly warm ties with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have fueled speculation of a looming political realignment.
According to Daily Post, observers point to the governor’s repeated engagements with the president at public events and private meetings as possible signals of shifting loyalties.
Sources close to the matter, who spoke with the publication, suggest the calculation may be less about partisan politics and more about attracting federal attention to Taraba, which has struggled to secure key infrastructure investments.
A political analyst in Jalingo said, “The writing may be on the wall. With the 2027 elections on the horizon, it’s not unusual to see shifts in allegiance. But if Kefas is indeed considering a switch, it may be more about opening Taraba to federal collaboration than playing partisan politics.”
Adding to the speculation, the Concerned Taraba Youth Group publicly called on the governor to align with the APC, citing the neglect of federal projects such as the Mambilla Hydro Power Project and the abandoned Zing–Jalingo–Wukari road.
The group’s spokesperson, Shedrack Iremiya Gani, said, “Considering the continued deterioration and abandonment of federal projects in Taraba, we appeal to Governor Agbu Kefas to align with President Bola Tinubu in order to attract greater federal presence to the state. We want the governor to make history by leaving the PDP and joining the APC.”
Within the APC, insiders are upbeat. A senior chieftain of the party, who spoke on condition of anonymity, suggested that several high-profile defections from the PDP are imminent.