The crisis brewing in the Nasarawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the endorsement of Senator Aliyu Wadada has taken a new turn as the former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, has faulted Governor Abdullahi Sule for taking the aspirant to President Bola Tinubu, saying the move was “a little too early”.
Last week, Governor Sule took Senator Aliyu Wadada to see President Tinubu after declaring him as his preferred aspirant for the 2027 governorship election.
However, the move seems to have sparked tension in the ruling APC family in the State with some stakeholders accusing the Governor of taking the decision without wide consultation.
Speaking while receiving former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu Abubakar and his campaign team in Lafia, Al-Makura thanked the ex-IGP for the visit and for declaring support for President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Almakura said, “it is a little too early that such a preferred candidate be taken to Mr. President at this early stage. What is the hurry? Let’s just wait and ensure that this due process, complying with the guidelines of the party, buying the form, filling them, conducting the primaries, and at the end of the day not only the governor but all of us will join the governor in introducing the candidate of APC that has emerged through democratic process,” Al-Makura said.
Apparently rejecting the Governors endorsement, Almakura insisted the party will ensure a “free, fair and credible” direct primary for all governorship aspirants.
“I’ve been following with keen interest the political happenings in Nasarawa State. Nasarawa today is amongst few states that have a preponderance number of aspirants showing interest for the governorship election,” he said.
He called on all aspirants and their supporters across party divides to go about their campaigns “in peace and harmony,” stressing civility and respect for the rule of law.
“I want to assure you, we as leaders will ensure that the primaries coming will not only be free and fair, it will be credible and it will be such that everybody will be happy about,” he stated.
Al-Makura, who described himself and other leaders as “students of the political initiative and ideas of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” said the party believes in democracy and a level playing field.
“Since we are going for direct primaries, virtually every aspirant that has indicated interest and has complied with the guidelines of the party will partake in this exercise. I want to call on all aspirants or people indicating interest not to jump the gun, both leaders and followers.”
He added that “Mr. President believes in fairness. He believes in justice. And he believes in level playing field. You can see how he has been tormented in his primaries. Even by members of the same party.”
Responding to questions on Governor Sule’s public endorsement of Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada as his preferred successor, Al-Makura said the governor is “entitled to” a preference and has “every democratic right to wish to have someone that he wants to vote for because he has one vote like each one of us.
“I cannot begrudge him for preferring anybody,” he noted, but
stressed that all aspirants remain equal before the primaries. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m for all of them. I’m for IG, I’m for Nalaraba, I’m for Wadada, I’m for all the aspirants as a leader, as a former governor. They are equal.”
