2027 Nasarawa gov’ship race: Will zoning tear APC apart?
As the 2027 governorship race in Nasarawa State begins to heat up, political heavyweights within the All Progressives Congress (APC) have started making moves, with zoning arrangements now at the heart of the contest. Former APC National Chairman and two-term governor of the state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has openly declared it is the turn of […]
As the 2027 governorship race in Nasarawa State begins to heat up, political heavyweights within the All Progressives Congress (APC) have started making moves, with zoning arrangements now at the heart of the contest.
Former APC National Chairman and two-term governor of the state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has openly declared it is the turn of his zone, Keffi in Nasarawa West Senatorial District, to produce the next governor after Governor Abdullahi Sule’s tenure ends.
Given the political temperature and the multiplicity of interests, a consensus candidate within the APC appears unlikely. The party is already showing signs of internal strain. The party’s state chairman, Aliyu Bello, was suspended by his Gayam Ward executives for allegedly pushing the candidature of someone not registered with the APC, a suspension he says was illegal and dead on arrival.
At a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Keffi, Senator Adamu reasserted that Nasarawa West is overdue to produce a governor, describing the claim as the zone’s “birthright.” His remarks have reignited the longstanding debate over zoning and power rotation across the state’s three senatorial districts: Keffi (West), Lafia (South), and Akwanga (North).
Adamu stressed that since the inception of Nasarawa State in 1996, its founding fathers have agreed on a rotational approach to leadership due to the state’s ethnic and political diversity. According to him, this was to ensure each zone had a chance to produce the governor.
“I was the first executive governor. I served eight years. In line with that spirit, I reached out to Nasarawa South and supported Aliyu Akwe Doma, who succeeded me but only served four years. Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, also from the South, came in through the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and completed eight years. After that, power shifted to the North with Governor Sule,” he explained.
Adamu argued that with Nasarawa West having last produced a governor over 20 years ago, the logical and just progression of the zoning arrangement would now return power to the zone.
He continued, “Now, it is our turn. This is not a struggle for one local government or a few individuals. It is a collective mission for all of us in the zone. Anyone from our ranks trying to betray this cause is doing so against the collective interest.”
Despite the strong advocacy for zoning, observers note that political fragmentation may undermine any consensus. Each senatorial district has tasted power, and internal rivalries may splinter zones further. Zoning, while emotionally potent, may no longer serve as a unifying principle.
Governor Sule, who also spoke at the Keffi meeting, said he would publicly endorse a successor when the time was right. He urged aspirants to play by the rules and avoid overheating the political atmosphere.
“But A. A. Sule has the right to say who he supports,” he said. “When the time comes, I will make my choice clear, without fear or favour.”
Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Dr. Danladi Jatau, called on stakeholders in the Western Zone to unite and pursue the governorship seat in 2027.
“I want to thank Senator Adamu for initiating this meeting. We supported other zones, and now it’s our turn. We must avoid betrayal and remain united,” he said.
However, some stakeholders disagree with the zoning narrative. Former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Nasarawa State, Othman Usman, argued there was no formal zoning agreement when the state was created, and Senator Adamu himself became governor through an open contest.
“There’s no document to support this so-called zoning,” Usman said. “Adamu won the governorship in an open field. The zoning idea only emerged afterwards. If fairness is the goal, all aspirants should be allowed to compete freely.”
Usman, an associate of Al-Makura, maintained that since each zone has now produced a governor, the cycle has run its course. “Let it go back to the beginning, if need be—but everyone should be free to run.”
Rising contenders and strategic endorsements
A Lafia-based public affairs commentator, Umar Abdullahi Angibi, noted that while zoning has no constitutional backing, it has functioned as a gentleman’s agreement in Nigeria to ensure equity and inclusiveness, especially in multi-ethnic states like Nasarawa.
“With the North completing eight years, many believe it’s the West’s turn, especially after over 20 years since Adamu’s tenure,” he said.
He named Dr. Faisal Shuaib, the immediate past Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), as a potential frontrunner from Nasarawa West. Shuaib, credited with leading Nigeria’s polio eradication campaign and COVID-19 vaccination programme, is being positioned as a technocrat with credibility and competence.
“If Governor Sule throws his weight behind him, he could emerge as the consensus candidate,” Angibi said.
Other notable names in the mix include Professor Mohammed Haruna, former head of NASENI, and Senator Aliyu Wadada, currently representing Nasarawa West on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Wadada, a former APC member, faces significant hurdles—his defection from the party and a long-standing rift with Senator Adamu from the 2019 primaries.
While Wadada is widely popular at the grassroots, APC insiders are hesitant to hand the ticket to someone outside the party. Professor Haruna, though closely linked to Adamu, is viewed by many as lacking strong grassroots appeal.
Analysts believe Shuaib may enjoy broader support due to his technocratic credentials and non-partisan profile. His name has reportedly been mentioned in quiet strategy meetings, and while he has yet to declare his intentions, he is increasingly seen as a unifying figure.
But Angibi warned that realpolitik could derail zoning efforts. “History shows such meetings rarely produce unified outcomes. Ethnic rivalries, personal ambitions, and factional divides often splinter zones,” he said.
“What we might see is multiple aspirants emerging from each zone, weakening bloc strength and diluting influence. The concept of zoning becomes more symbolic than practical.”
He added, “In every election since 1999, all zones have produced aspirants. Zoning becomes meaningful only when a sitting governor and a few key actors decide to enforce it based on their own interests.”
Dr. Mohamed Suleiman, another analyst, applauded Senator Adamu’s call for zonal unity but cautioned that any consensus must be built on transparency and issue-based politics.
“All aspirants from the West should rally behind a credible candidate who can unite the zone. They must avoid ethnic sentiments and work towards internal democracy to prevent post-primary defections,” Suleiman advised.
Al-Makura’s ambition and APC’s future
Analysts, however, point to the intense lobbying for former Governor Al-Makura to emerge as APC National Chairman following the unexpected resignation of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as a potential game changer. They argue that if Al-Makura clinches the top party position, he could leverage it to tilt the governorship race in favour of his zone, Nasarawa South, with former Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu already rumoured to be gearing up for the contest. Some also believe that the outgoing governor may be inclined to support a candidate from his own zone to initiate a fresh rotation cycle in the state’s zoning arrangement.
Nonetheless, beneath all the high-level rhetoric lies a deeply fractured political landscape. As the tenure of Governor Sule nears its end, the three zones—West, North, and South—are already jostling for power.
Daily Trust reports that after the Keffi zone’s meeting, other zones are now planning similar stakeholders’ meetings to galvanise support and present their own aspirants. While zoning may shape the narrative, the outcome will ultimately depend on internal party dynamics, elite negotiations, and how aspirants position themselves across zones.
Whether the APC can navigate these competing interests without fracturing its base remains uncertain. With influential figures like Senator Adamu championing zonal entitlements and powerful interest groups lobbying for Al-Makura to emerge as the party’s next national chairman, the battle for Nasarawa’s top seat is shaping up to be one of the fiercest in 2027.