20/10/2025
Rikwense Muri’s Plea: Taraba APC Youth Deserve Role in Gov Kefas’ Political Shift | Wande Hype Media
Jalingo, Taraba State – October 20, 2025
The APC Youth Vanguard in Taraba State has called for active involvement in the ongoing consultations surrounding the rumoured defection of Governor Agbu Kefas to the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a statement by Amb. Rikwense Muri, the group’s Publicity Secretary, the Vanguard emphasized its role in sustaining the party through years of challenges and urged party leaders to ensure their voices are heard in this historic political realignment.
Muri highlighted the Vanguard’s sacrifices, including the arrest and detention of Chairman Comrade Idris Ayuba during the administration of former Governor Darius Ishaku, and his own rejection of a senior aide position offered by Governor Kefas to remain loyal to APC principles. “We spoke when others were silent. We marched when others hid,” Muri declared, underscoring the group’s unwavering commitment since 2015.
The statement cautioned that sidelining the Youth Vanguard, described as the “engine room” and “grassroots mobilizers” of Taraba APC, could risk alienating the party’s core support base. With Governor Kefas’ potential defection poised to reshape Taraba’s political landscape, the Vanguard urged key stakeholders-Senator David S.U. Jimkuta, H.E. Barr. Uba Maigari Ahmadu, Hon. Barr. Ibrahim Tukur Elsudi, and North East Zonal leadership under Comrade Mustapha Salisu-to prioritize inclusivity.
“We are not asking for patronage; we are demanding participation,” Muri stated, emphasizing that the defection must not be an “elite affair” but a unifying moment for the party. The Vanguard warned that excluding the youth could lead to resentment among the grassroots, potentially undermining APC’s prospects in the 2027 elections.
The group expressed positivity about the defection’s potential to strengthen APC but stressed that its success depends on fairness and recognition of the youths’ contributions.
“Let history record that when Taraba APC was on the verge of renewal, the voices of its youths were not silenced,” Muri concluded.
As discussions continue, the APC Youth Vanguard’s call for inclusion keypoints the delicate balance of power, loyalty, and grassroots engagement in Taraba’s evolving political scene.