POLITICS: Kefas Campaign Spokesman Hon. Bello Challenges Danji SS to Present Alternative Vision for Taraba

By Jako Keke  [Jalingo Times] October 12, 2026.

The Spokesman of the Kefas 2027 Campaign Council, Hon. Emmanuel Bello JP, has challenged the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in Taraba State, Hon. Danjuma Usman Shiddi, popularly known as Danji SS, to present practical solutions to the state's challenges rather than focus solely on criticism of the incumbent administration.

Bello made the call in an open letter addressed to Shiddi in response to the APGA candidate's recent assessment of conditions across Taraba State following his statewide consultation tour covering the 16 local government areas.

In the letter titled “Danji and His Fault-Finding Mission,” Bello questioned Shiddi's assessment of the state, arguing that his account did not adequately acknowledge ongoing government initiatives in education, agriculture, infrastructure, youth empowerment and security.

The campaign spokesman cited the Kefas administration's free basic and secondary education policy, the 50 per cent reduction in tertiary institution tuition fees, and ongoing construction and renovation of schools as examples of interventions he said deserved recognition.

He also pointed to government support for farmers through access to fertilisers and tractors, youth business support programmes, civil service reforms and efforts to address pension and gratuity-related concerns. Bello maintained that such initiatives should form part of any balanced assessment of the administration's performance.

On infrastructure, Bello referenced ongoing construction work along the Chinkai-Kente Road, road projects within Jalingo and other rural communities, as well as efforts to improve Danbaba Suntai Airport. He argued that these projects reflected ongoing attempts to address the state's infrastructure deficit.

The spokesman also defended the administration's security record, noting that Shiddi's ability to travel across the state for consultations provided an opportunity to acknowledge efforts to improve security, even as challenges remained in some communities.

Bello further questioned Shiddi's record during his tenure in the House of Representatives, arguing that the APGA candidate should be prepared to subject his past performance to public scrutiny if he intends to lead the state. He challenged him to explain how his proposed policies would produce better outcomes for Tarabans.

While defending the Kefas administration, the campaign spokesman acknowledged that significant challenges remained, insisting that political criticism should be accompanied by practical recommendations and an appreciation of ongoing development efforts.

He called for a more issue-based political contest ahead of the 2027 governorship election, urging political actors to focus on policy alternatives, accountability and the collective interest of the state.

Bello maintained that Taraba residents deserved a political discourse that recognised existing interventions while demanding improvements in areas where public expectations had yet to be fully met.

The exchange highlights the emerging political contest in Taraba ahead of 2027, with the Kefas camp defending the administration's record and the opposition seeking to draw attention to persistent development challenges.