Governor Abdullahi Sule has a little over two years to the end of his second and final constitutional term limit of eight years as the governor of Nasarawa state. Already, the battle to succeed him in 2027 has unofficially commenced with various contenders working assiduously to endear themselves to the electorate including the governor and other critical stakeholders in their bid to become governor. Leading this battle of wits is Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada (Sarkin Yakin Keffi), representing Nasarawa West, Nasarawa state in the National Assembly.
Other frontline contenders are Dr. Faisal Shuaibu, the immediate-past Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Barrister Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi, the immediate-past Minister of Environment, Hon.Musa Ahmed Mohammed, former speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, and current State Accountant General (AG), Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna, former Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer ,National Agency for Science and Engineering infrastructures (NASENi), among others.
Wadada – Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, is a household name in Nasarawa state politics and, by extension, Nigeria. A frontline politician and a democrat, Wadada is renowned for his vibrancy, intellectual prowess, political sagacity, grassroots connections and penchant for springing surprises and getting results. He ventured into politics in 2003 and made history in the political matrix of the state. He carved a niche for himself in the private sector and in the build up to 2003 elections he abandoned his lucrative job at Vision Technology to answer the call of his people to vie for the House of Representatives seat of Keffi/ Karu/Kokona federal constituency of Nasarawa state on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which marked the beginning of his political journey.
Despite being a greenhorn in politics, Wadada altered the political equation of the constituency by won the primaries, defeating the incumbent lawmaker and subsequently won the election to the House of Representatives in 2003. During his eight years in the green chamber from 2003- 2011, he proved his mettle and leadership qualities, especially in championed the cause of democracy, good governance and accountability. He attracted federal presence to his constituency and amplified the name of Nasarawa state in the eyes of the world. As chairman, House Committee on Capital Market for over seven years, Wadada sponsored many bills and moved many motions that added value to Nigeria’s financial sector. He provided true dividends of democracy to his people, bequeathing an unprecedented record of performance never replicated in the history of his constituency and parliamentary democracy in Nasarawa state which further endered him to his people. His colleagues in the National Assembly nicked-named him “Mr. Capital Market” for brilliant presentations of issues on the floor of the green chamber
The then Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed appointed him as his senior special assistant on budget, project monitoring, evaluation and National Assembly matters. He resigned from this position and returned to his businesses until 2015, when he contested the senatorial election but lost to Abdullahi Adamu. In 2019, Wadada vied for the gubernatorial seat of Nasarawa state on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but lost the primaries to Engr. A A Sule, who emerged governor. However, Wadada defected to the SDP and won the senatorial seat of Nasarawa west in the 2023 elections. He is leading all Nasarawa senators in the current National Assembly with 10 bills to his credit.
Dr.Faisal Shuaibu – is a new face in Nasarawa politics but has already established himself as a governorship candidate to watch. His decision aspire for the gubernatorial seat of the state is seen by most political observers as the right foot forward to spice up the contest, capable of changing the political dynamics of the state considering his ability to spring surprises. Shuaibu is a shining example of a rooky who saw the need to thread into where most professionals dare not in order to contribute his quota to the development of the state. An accomplished public servant, medical expert and seasoned administrator, Shuaibu spent the greater part of his life in his medical profession where he carved a niche for himself as a public health specialist
Putting Nasarawa guber hopefuls on a scale
Barrister Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi, Magajin Garin Uke – is another frontline contender for the Nasarawa state governorship seat come 2027. He is not leaving anything to chance in his quest to succeed Governor Sule. His decision to vie for the governorship seat of Nasarawa state did not come to many people as a surprise, having contested many elections and served as a commissioner, special adviser, secretary to the state government (SSG) and a minister in the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Mohammed Abdullahi, the immediate-past minister of environment, was the chairman of Karu local government, Nasarawa state in 2006 and held several positions in politics and in his legal profession. He was Nasarawa state attorney general and commissioner for justice in 2003.
Musa Ahmed Mohammed, Baraden Nasarawa – a two-term speaker of Nasarawa State House of Assembly and the current accountant-general of the state, is also warming up to occupy Shendam Road Government House Lafia in 2027. He is a man of many parts – a professional accountant, retired civil servant and a politician whose aspiration is seen in many quarters as a generational change by the youths to take their destiny in their own hands. Musa Mohammed vied for the House of Representatives seat of Nasarawa/Toto federal constituency on the platform of the PDP but lost. He defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was appointed as the state Accountant General by Abduĺlahi Sule, a position he currently holds and from which he hopes to succeed his principal in 2027.
Mu’azu Abari writes from Lafia, Nasarawa state
