An All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Taraba State, Chief David Sabo Kente, has alleged that no direct primary elections were conducted to determine the party’s candidates for the Federal House of Representatives seats ahead of the 2027 general election.
Addressing the press in Jalingo on Sunday, Kente claimed that any result declared from the exercise would be entirely fabricated and could only be termed cooked.
The frontline aspirant noted that besides the fact that election officials and materials arrived in the state extremely late on Saturday afternoon, pre-recorded videos of purported voting had already begun circulating on social media before any official process had even commenced.
He argued that these videos were part of the manufactured optics designed to lay the groundwork for predetermined results.
Kente further warned that if the party proceeds with validating these outcomes, it will inevitably trigger a wave of intense litigations from aggrieved aspirants and party members who are dissatisfied with the handling of the process.
It will be recalled that the APC committee responsible for conducting the House of Representatives primaries arrived in Jalingo around 2:30 pm on Saturday.
The State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Aaron Atimas, who confirmed their arrival, stated that the logistical delay would not affect the ultimate conduct of the election.
The Chairman of the committee, Dr. Tsenongo Abancha, who later spoke to the press, apologized to party members for the delay, attributing the late arrival to severe transportation challenges and flight disruptions from Abuja.
While Abancha had assured party faithful that the primaries would be handled in a transparent and credible manner across the state, Kente’s counter-claims indicate a deepening crisis within the state chapter over the integrity of the ballot.
No Amount of Money Can Buy Me Out
Beyond the legislative primaries, Chief Kente strongly dismissed spreading rumours that he is being financially induced to step down from the 2027 governorship race.
He declared that no individual or political interest possesses the capacity to woo him with financial rewards, emphasizing that he has never and would never compromise his political principles or betray his supporters for financial inducement.
The Truth Behind Governor Kefas’s Visit
Clarifying the nature of the recent closed-door meeting at his residence, Chief Kente revealed it was not the first time Governor Agbu Kefas had visited him.
According to Kente, the primary purpose of the Governor’s recent visit was to address and clarify why the APC state office had been shut down.
He noted that both parties thoroughly thrashed out the issue and came to a mutual understanding regarding the situation.
Kente further disclosed that during the high-profile meeting, pleas were made for him to reconsider his gubernatorial ambition.
But in a sharp political twist, Kente stated that he turned the tables on the incumbent, telling Governor Kefas to step down for him instead so that he could complete the remaining four years of the Southern zone’s rotational turn.
Insisting that his ambition remains non-negotiable, Kente concluded that he is firmly in the race, noting that the overwhelming consensus from ongoing consultations with his political allies is for him to press forward and not back out.