By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The pioneer Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State and former Nigerian Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, Alhaji Hassan Ardo, has stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent visit to Taraba has exposed the alleged failure of Governor Agbu Kefas’s administration.
Speaking to journalists via telephone on Thursday, Ambassador Ardo described the visit—conducted on May 21 and represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima—as a clear indication that the state government has underperformed in the last two years.
“It is quite unfortunate that while presidential visits to other states are typically marked by the commissioning of multiple people-oriented projects, there was nothing of such in Taraba,” Ardo said. “The only project the Vice President could commission was the already renovated airport, which was originally constructed and inaugurated over a decade ago and named after the late Governor Danbaba Suntai.”
Ardo, a prominent APC stalwart and political figure in the state, lamented that Governor Kefas has failed to construct even a kilometre of road since assuming office.
“I wish the President had visited in person to witness the lack of development firsthand. But even with the Vice President representing him, it was clear there were no completed projects to commission—this just days before the second anniversary of this administration,” he noted.
According to him, the visit has validated concerns expressed by opposition figures that the current government has no tangible achievements to show. “What Governor Kefas boasts about are cosmetic renovations—the Government House, guest lodges, and personal accommodations—while crucial infrastructure like the Namnai Bridge, which collapsed last year, remains unattended.”
Ardo recalled that in March 2025, Governor Kefas announced that the contract for the bridge’s reconstruction had been awarded, yet no visible work has begun. “That bridge is vital to the people’s movement and economy. The airport, which has remained in use, should not have taken priority over it,” he stressed.
He also accused the governor of mismanaging over N300 billion accrued from the Federation Account in the past two years. “The people deserve accountability. Governor Kefas should admit that he has lost focus and is incapable of governing the state. He should resign,” Ardo declared.
Regarding the state’s investment drive, particularly the much-publicized Taravest initiative, Ardo dismissed it as a “conduit pipe” for misappropriating public funds. “Mark my words—by the end of this administration, not a single real investor would have set up shop in Taraba State.”
He called on President Tinubu to provide special federal interventions to cushion the hardship being experienced by citizens due to what he described as the poor governance under the PDP-led administration.