By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
Senator Emmanuel Bwacha has emerged the winner of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governorship primary election held in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
The confirmation was made during a gathering held at Shield Hotel, Jalingo, in the presence of top PDP stakeholders, party faithful, delegates, and supporters from different parts of the state.
Speaking shortly after his declaration, Sen. Bwacha thanked the people of taraba state and PDP stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him.
He described the victory as a call to serve and pledged to work with other aspirants to strengthen the party and present a united front ahead of the general elections.
“This victory is for all of us and for the people of Taraba State who yearn for good governance, security, and development.
He described himself as a humble servant ready to serve the people of the state. He expressed gratitude to party members and supporters for the massive turnout and confidence reposed in him
“I am standing before you today as a humble servant of God who has offered himself to serve the people. I sincerely appreciate the overwhelming support shown to me by the people of Taraba. I am truly grateful,” he said.
Bwacha alleged that the present administration under Governor Agbu Kefas has misled the people of the state, adding that it has borrowed over ₦800 billion without delivering commensurate or meaningful development across the state.
“The failure of the Governor should not be used to judge the entire people of Southern Taraba the opportunity to govern. I am determined to clear the misconception that people from Southern Taraba cannot lead effectively. Leadership is personal, and one individual’s shortcomings must not be placed on a whole region.”
According to him, beyond what he described as poor leadership, the current administration has allegedly impoverished a large percentage of the population through policies he claimed have weakened the state’s economy.
Bwacha further stated that he is determined to change the narrative surrounding leadership from Southern Taraba, stressing that not all leaders from the region should be judged by the same standard.
“I am here to make a difference and change the narrative,” he reportedly stated.
According to him, residents of Taraba State are demanding a change in leadership due to what he described as a lack of transparency, accountability, and widespread corruption in governance.
“There is deep corruption in the system and the resources of the state are being squandered. I have offered myself to rise to the challenge because the people deserve better leadership,” Bwacha said.
The former senator further alleged that despite huge allocations and borrowings accrued to the state over the years, there were few tangible projects to justify the funds expended.
“There is nothing significant to show for the over N800 billion allegedly borrowed since the inception of the present administration, in addition to federal allocations received over the last three years.
The former senator is expected to face a fierce political battle against the incumbent governor as both camps intensify efforts to mobilize support across the state ahead of the election.
Speaking, the PDP State Legal Adviser, Muhamad Danlami, said the affirmation was conducted in accordance with Section 87(3) of the Electoral Act 2026.
“In line with Section 87(3) of the Electoral Act 2026, where a political party presents a sole aspirant for any elective office, the party may adopt a consensus or affirmation procedure, subject to the party’s guidelines,” Danlami stated.
Recall that during the 2023 governorship election, Bwacha contested against the incumbent governor on the platform of the APC. However, in the forthcoming election, he is expected to challenge Governor Kefas under the banner of the PDP.
This development sets the stage for what promises to be a highly competitive governorship race in Taraba State, as the All Progressives Congress has already produced Agbu Kefas as its candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
Political observers believe the contest between the two major parties could shape the future political direction of Taraba State as campaigns gradually gather momentum ahead of 2027.
Party leaders in attendance described the primary as free, fair, and credible, noting that the outcome reflects the will of the majority of PDP members in the state.