By Terna Chikpa
The governorship candidate of the Accord Party (AP) in Taraba State, Prof. Jerome Nyame, has pledged to prioritise security and peaceful coexistence among ethnic groups in the state if elected governor in 2027.
He also lamented the growing debt profile of the state without corresponding infrastructural or economic development.
Nyame assured that youth development through skills acquisition and agricultural empowerment would form a central focus of his administration in order to tackle poverty and hunger.
“My administration will prioritise the security of citizens against violent conflicts,” the governorship candidate stated.
“Ethnic clashes and tribal divisions will no longer have a place in Taraba. I will ensure that every ethnic group recognises one another as one people, coexists peacefully, and works together for the progress of our dear state.
“It is a clear act of neglect for any government to remain insensitive to killings and the continued displacement of citizens.
The return of displaced Tarabans, especially those in Southern Taraba who have spent over five years in various IDP camps or taken refuge in different locations, will be one of my first projects as governor. I feel deeply saddened whenever I hear about the killings and displacement of innocent citizens.
“The growing number of displaced persons without visible government concern is disheartening and requires urgent action by all Tarabans to change the current situation.
“According to records published by the Catholic Diocese of Wukari, between September 2025 and now, over 98,000 people, including 16 priests, have been displaced, 217 churches destroyed, and more than 100 citizens killed without serious government efforts to end these inhumane acts. This is not what we bargained for. The right to life is a fundamental human right,” Prof. Nyame said.
According to Nyame, his decision to contest the governorship election was not driven by personal ambition but by a moral responsibility to rescue Taraba from backwardness, economic decline, insecurity, rising debt, and systemic abuse of power.
He lamented that despite Taraba’s rich agricultural resources, tourism potential, and mineral deposits, the state remains underdeveloped.
“Despite its agricultural resources, tourism potential, and mineral deposits, Taraba remains underdeveloped. Roads are abandoned, hospitals are struggling, schools are underfunded, unemployment is rising, businesses are suffocating under economic hardship, while insecurity and tribal divisions are at their peak.
“More troubling is the growing debt profile of the state without corresponding infrastructural or economic advancement. Future generations are being burdened with liabilities while the people continue to suffer without visible development.
“This is beyond politics. The time has come to move beyond empty promises and embrace purposeful leadership. It is because of these painful realities that I am stepping forward under the Accord Party with a bold recovery blueprint anchored on the 3Rs Solution Framework — Recovery, Resource Utilization, and Renegotiation — as immediate solutions to address the urgent debt situation inflicted on us by accidental and unprepared leadership.
“This framework will reposition Taraba as a leading economic hub in Northern Nigeria through trade and industry, healthcare for all, education for self and society, agribusiness, prosperity-driven initiatives, and youth empowerment.
“These thematic areas form the foundation of what we proudly call the Taraba Therapy Agenda — a practical rescue and rebuilding mission designed to restore hope, stabilize governance, revive the economy, and reconnect government with the people,” he promised.
The Accord Party governorship candidate also pledged that his administration would collaborate with agencies and organizations to attract productive infrastructure aimed at youth development in the state.
“My administration will collaborate with agencies and organisations to attract productive infrastructure. We will establish recreational centres where youths will be trained in entrepreneurship development to become employers of labour rather than job seekers,” he added.
Prof. Nyame called on Tarabans to support his ambition, describing it as a movement to rescue the state from collapse and rebuild the future of its citizens.
