From Tom Garba,Yola
The Adamawa Governorship race has just taken a dramatic turn, and the man at the centre of it is Haske.
With the unveiling of Engr. Safriel Judson Glah, FNSE as his Deputy Governorship candidate, Haske has done what no other frontline Governorship candidate in Adamawa has done – put a woman on the ticket as Deputy Governor-to-be. In a state where elections are won on narrow margins, that single masterstroke may be the final straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Here is the analysis and the true state of the reality on ground for the 2027 Adamawa state governorship election:
1. The Numbers Don’t Lie: Women Are The Election
In Adamawa, women constitute over 50% of registered voters and historically over 60% of actual voter turnout. From the rural polling units in Hong, Gombi, Guyuk, Madagali to the markets in Jimeta and Yola Town, women vote in bulk. They mobilize in groups – Zumunta Mata, FOMWAN, women cooperatives, market associations.
By picking a woman, Haske has directly spoken to this massive voting bloc. The message is simple: _“You are not just voters, you are part of government.”_ This creates an emotional connection that male-male tickets cannot match. Every woman who feels marginalized now sees herself on the ballot.
2. He Has Captured Two Majorities At Once: Women + Youth
Haske’s political base has always been the YOUTHS – energetic, social media savvy, and frustrated with the old order. The youths form the largest demographic in Adamawa.
Now, add WOMEN to that.
Women + Youths = Over 70% of the voting population in Adamawa. No other candidate has locked down these two demographics so clearly. His opponents are still sharing the traditional male-dominated political structure votes, while Haske has created a new coalition: The Women-Youth Alliance.
3. The Sympathy and Novelty Factor
Adamawa politics is used to seeing all-male tickets. A female deputy is a novelty. It will dominate discussions on radio, in markets, in places of worship and on social media for weeks. In politics, novelty is free publicity.
Engr. Safriel Glah is not just any woman – she is a FNSE – Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.That title neutralizes the usual propaganda of “token woman.” She is accomplished, professional, and respected in a male-dominated field. This appeals to educated voters, the middle class, and the growing population of female professionals who want representation with competence.
4. Strategic Balance: Christian, Competent, Grassroots Woman
Adamawa requires careful balancing – North/South, Muslim/Christian, Young/Old. Engr. Glah, as a woman professional with grassroots appeal from the northern zone, gives the ticket that balance without making it look like a desperate religious calculation. It looks like a merit-based, inclusive choice.
5. The Boost to the Haske Campaign Trend
Before now, Haske was seen as a youth candidate. With this choice:
– His campaign now trends organically among women groups who will adopt him as “Our Own”
– NGOs, women-focused donor agencies and advocacy groups will naturally sympathize with the only gender-sensitive ticket
– It disarms attacks – it is hard to paint a ticket with a respected female engineer as violent or exclusionary
– It gives his media team a powerful narrative: _Haske is the Future, Inclusive and Different._
The Final Verdict: The Candidate to Beat
In the last three election cycles in Adamawa, the margin of victory was less than 50,000 votes. The women vote alone can swing more than 200,000 votes if properly mobilized.
By picking Engr. Safriel Judson Glah, Haske has not just picked a running mate; he has picked an entire voting army. While other candidates are still negotiating with male political godfathers, Haske has gone directly to the real godmothers of the election – the women of Adamawa.
If he sustains this momentum and empowers his new deputy to truly lead the women mobilization across the 21 LGAs, Haske may have just broken the camel’s back.
The 2027 Adamawa Governorship may well be decided by this one bold choice.
