The Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Kizito Bonzena, alongside 15 other lawmakers, has officially resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). This significant political realignment means that all 24 members of the Taraba State House of Assembly are now members of the APC, effectively leaving no minority representation within the legislative body.

Speaker Bonzena announced his defection during a plenary session, citing the enduring internal crisis and national-level factionalization within the PDP as the primary reasons for his decision. He emphasized that this move was not personal but was made in the collective interest of Taraba State, aiming to align the state with President Bola Tinubu’s vision. He urged the people of Taraba to view this as the best decision for the state and to continue supporting the government.

The lawmakers who defected alongside the Speaker include prominent figures such as Deputy Speaker Hamman Adama Abdullai (Bali 2 Constituency), Majority Leader Jethro Yakubu (Wukari 1 Constituency), Tafarki Eneme (Kurmi Constituency), Akila Nuhu (Lau Constituency), Musa Chul (Gassol 1 Constituency), and Josiah Yaro (Wukari 2 Constituency). Other defectors are Tanko Yusuf (Takum 1 Constituency), Veronica Alhassan (Bali 1 Constituency), Anas Shuaibu (Karim Lamido 2 Constituency), Nelson Len (Nguroje Constituency), Umar Adamu (Jalingo 1 Constituency), Joseph Kassong (Yorro Constituency), John Lamba (Takum 2 Constituency), Happy Shonruba (Ardo-Kola Constituency), and Zakari Sanusi (Ibi Constituency).

Former Speaker and Mbamnga Constituency lawmaker, Peter Diah, extended a welcome to Bonzena and the other defecting members into the APC. Diah noted the House's past accommodation when the defectors were in the minority and expressed his happiness that all members have now embraced President Bola Tinubu’s vision, praying for a new dawn in Taraba State.

In response to these defections, including an earlier one by Governor Agbu Kefas, the Taraba State chapter of the PDP stated that it is neither discouraged nor deterred. Mr. Obidah Bitrus, the state deputy chairman of the PDP, assured party faithful that the development provides an opportunity for the PDP to reorganize, strengthen, and remain steadfast. He maintained that the party is now more focused than ever on challenging Governor Kefas and the APC in the upcoming 2027 governorship election, despite the loss of key figures.

Bitrus acknowledged that losing individuals like Governor Kefas is not easy but deemed it inevitable, asserting that the party would sustain its pedigree beyond 2027. He called on members to remain focused and undeterred by the defections, expressing confidence that with necessary cooperation, the PDP would emerge victorious in 2027. He also highlighted the successful national convention in Ibadan, despite internal squabbles, and the party's ongoing efforts to rectify internal crises. Speculations also suggest that the state PDP chairman, Abubakar Bawa, might also be considering a move to the APC, though he declined immediate comment, promising a press conference.