Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu has been formally presented by Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule as his preferred successor for the 2027 governorship election. The announcement followed a stakeholders' meeting convened by Sule, where it was agreed that the governorship ticket be zoned to Nasarawa West senatorial district. The meeting also resolved that the ruling APC adopt direct primaries for the selection process, as required under the new electoral law that abolished the delegate system. Governor Sule, representing the northern zone, made the declaration after consultations across the state, including a separate meeting for Nasarawa North on a vacant senate seat.
Senator Tanko Al-Makura, immediate-past governor and key political figure from the southern zone, has voiced strong opposition to Sule's choice, though he was absent from the photo-op with President Bola Tinubu and the others. His absence raises questions about unity across senatorial zones, especially as Al-Makura had previously backed Sule as his successor. Another aspirant, former Inspector-General of Police Muhammadu Abubakar Adamu from Nasarawa South, has dismissed the zoning, calling it undemocratic, and remains determined to contest. His campaign has gained traction among supporters who cite a prophecy by preacher Ayodele predicting his victory. Meanwhile, a northern-based group, the Political Consultative Group led by Senator John Damboyi and Professor Salih Alizada, rejected Sule's zoning decision and instead zoned the governorship to Nasarawa Eggon. Silas Agara, DG of the National Directorate of Employment and an aspirant from Akwanga, disowned the zoning agreement for the senate seat, insisting no such consensus exists.
Governor Sule claims broad consultation but key figures like Senator Al-Makura were missing from the endorsement event, undermining the claim of statewide consensus. The insistence on Nasarawa West zoning while facing open revolt from northern and southern factions risks deepening regional divides among APC members. Former IGP Adamu's defiance and the competing northern group's alternative zoning show the party is far from united behind Wadada. The prophecy cited by Adamu's supporters now holds as much official weight as the governor's preferred choice.
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