Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has endorsed Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada as his preferred successor ahead of the 2027 governorship election in the state. He made his position known during a meeting with political appointees in Lafia, explaining that the move followed wide consultations aimed at consolidating party unity and ensuring a smooth transition for the All Progressives Congress, APC.
According to the governor, the endorsement is the outcome of extensive engagements with stakeholders across Nasarawa, including party leaders, elders and opinion leaders from various political blocs. He said the decision was guided by the need to support a candidate capable of winning the election and sustaining his administration’s development agenda.
Sule noted that, unlike the build-up to the 2019 election when all three senatorial districts produced strong contenders, only two zones have so far shown serious interest in the 2027 race. He added that his own senatorial zone chose not to present a governorship aspirant in the interest of consensus and to reduce internal friction within the APC.
The governor disclosed that 14 aspirants on the APC platform initially indicated interest in succeeding him in 2027. He said he met them both collectively and individually, assessing their political structures, acceptability and electoral strength before pruning the list down to three.
Sule explained that further consultations convinced him that Senator Wadada has the strongest prospects of delivering victory for the
APC in the forthcoming poll. He cited Wadada’s grassroots network and cross-zonal appeal as key factors that informed his final decision.
The governor reiterated that his priority is to hand over to a candidate who can protect ongoing investments, deepen economic reforms and maintain stability in Nasarawa State after his exit from office. He appealed to other aspirants and party supporters to rally behind Senator Wadada in the larger interest of the party and the state, warning against actions capable of “overheating” the polity or reopening old fault lines.
Sule urged political appointees and APC members to close ranks and accept the outcome of the consultation process as a strategic move to keep the party in power beyond 2027. He promised to continue engaging all shades of opinion within the party to ensure that, as campaigns gather steam, internal disagreements are resolved through dialogue rather than public confrontation.
