Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has sparked internal conflict within the All Progressives Congress (APC) by announcing Senator Aliyu Ahmed Wadada as his preferred successor for the 2027 governorship election. The declaration was made during a meeting with political appointees and heads of government agencies at the Government House in Lafia on Thursday. Wadada, who defected from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in mid-2025, is now at the center of a growing rift within the party. Former Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura and former Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu have publicly criticized the move as premature and divisive. Al-Makura, who leads the Renewed Hope Ambassadors in North Central Nigeria, stated he was not consulted before the announcement and described the timing as too early, noting that the party's electoral process has not formally begun. He emphasized that while Sule has the right to personal preference, such decisions should not influence party mechanisms. Adamu, a governorship aspirant under the APC, accused Sule of attempting to mobilize government machinery in Wadada's favor, calling it inappropriate. He reaffirmed commitment to direct primaries, insisting that no individual or group can override the one-member-one-vote principle. Some APC members are reportedly considering defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which has gained traction in northern Nigeria.
Sule claims to support direct primaries while simultaneously pressuring officials to back his chosen successor, undermining the very process he claims to uphold. His endorsement of Wadada and the call for government appointees to support him contradict the principle of a level playing field. This duality risks fracturing the APC in Nasarawa, leaving loyal party members caught between loyalty to the governor and faith in democratic selection. If unchecked, such actions could push more members toward opposition parties like the ADC.
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