***Cracks widen across all senatorial districts amid allegations of high-handedness
By Samuel Uhuru, Jalingo
The crisis within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State has deepened dramatically, with a wave of high-profile defections cutting across all three senatorial districts and exposing widening fault lines within the party ahead of future electoral contests.
Party insiders say the developments point to a fast-unravelling structure, with internal disputes, leadership distrust, and allegations of exclusionary politics accelerating the exodus of influential figures.
Among the most notable exits are former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Sen. Joel Danlami Ikenya; former governorship candidate, Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha; retired General Ishaya Bauka; and former House of Representatives member, Hon. Danji S. Shidi—all prominent figures from the Taraba South Senatorial District.
In the Central Senatorial District, the list includes a serving federal lawmaker, Hon. David Fuoh; former senator, Tutare Abubakar; former National Assembly Service Commission member; pioneer APC state chairman; and ex-Nigerian envoy to Trinidad and Tobago, Amb. Hassan Jika Ardo—signalling what party stakeholders describe as a “systemic collapse of confidence” in the party’s leadership structure.
The Northern Senatorial District has also witnessed departures of its own, including former Governor Rev. Jolly Nyame and Alhaji Ali Sani Kona, among others who have reportedly pitched their tents with rival political platforms.
Although official statements from the defectors vary, multiple party sources attribute the mass movement to deep-seated grievances over alleged high-handedness, exclusion of stakeholders, and growing dissatisfaction with the leadership style associated with the state political structure aligned to Governor Agbu Kefas.
According to insiders, many of the aggrieved members argue that internal party processes have become increasingly centralized, leaving little room for consultation or consensus-building among key blocs within the APC.
The crisis has been further inflamed by revelations that at least three aspirants have already obtained Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to challenge the sitting governor in future contests—an unusual development that underscores deep divisions within the party’s ranks.
Tensions over legitimacy have also spilled into the courts. Aggrieved members are currently challenging the legality of the state congresses that produced the present leadership, alleging widespread irregularities, disenfranchisement, and procedural violations.
A senior party stakeholder who spoke on condition of anonymity described the situation as “a coordinated collapse of trust,” warning that unless urgent intervention comes from the national leadership, the party risks losing strategic control in the state.
Observers say the unfolding crisis could have far-reaching implications for the APC’s electoral strength in Taraba, particularly if reconciliation efforts fail to stem the wave of defections before the next election cycle.
Political analysts also warn that the deepening fragmentation may significantly weaken the party’s competitiveness, especially if rival platforms succeed in consolidating the defecting blocs.
For now, the APC’s state leadership has yet to issue a comprehensive response, but pressure is mounting on the national secretariat to intervene and restore order before the crisis fully spirals out of control.
At stake, analysts say, is not just party unity—but the survival of APC’s political dominance in Taraba State.
