Taraba Assembly Justifies Approval Given to Kefas to Secure N350bn Bond from Capital Market 

By Wole Ayodele in Jalingo 

The Taraba State House of Assembly has justified the approval given to Governor Agbu Kefas to secure a N350 billion bond from the capital market.

The approval given to the governor came barely a year after approving over N200 billion loan, thereby generating mixed reactions from indigenes of the state particularly the opposition elements.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with THISDAY in Jalingo, the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Jethro Yakubu, revealed that the request to secure the loan was in tandem with the provisions of the 2025 Appropriation Bill passed into law by the Assembly.

He stressed that the governor had already indicated in the budget proposal of his intention to fund part of the budget through loans from financial institutions, noting that the request can only become abnormal if it is outside the budget provision.

Shedding more light on the issue, Yakubu, who represents Wukari I Constituency, said that the Assembly approved the loan because the governor had carried the Assembly along right from the preparation of the appropriation.

According to him, “The governor is a leader that believes in carrying everybody along. He already carried the Assembly along right from when the appropriation was being prepared. We don’t give approval for any loan that is not in the appropriation.

“The governor is a very strategic thinker. The bond is to be funded through internally generated revenue (IGR), not Federal Accounts allocation at N20 billion a year. The governor is very passionate about stimulating the economy of the state so that the economy would be in a position to fund the bond.”

The Majority Leader described Kefas as the best governor in the annals of the state due to his penchant for team work and strong addiction to carrying everybody, particularly the stakeholders along in every decision he wants to make.

“Kefas is the best governor in the history of Taraba State. He’s always engaging the Legislative and Judiciary arm in every decision he takes. He believes that one day he would no longer be at the helm of affairs. Lack of engagement has always been the bane of abandoned projects across the country. So, he’s trying to avoid that,” Yakubu said.