By Adesakin Adefemi
Former Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura has publicly faulted Governor Abdullahi Sule for endorsing Senator Aliyu Wadada as his preferred successor for the 2027 governorship election. Al-Makura said the governor did not consult him before making the declaration.
Speaking in a video shared on X by @NigAffairs, Al-Makura was asked directly if Governor Sule consulted him on the choice. He replied with a question of his own: “Do you want a yes or no answer?” He then gave a firm answer: “no.”
Al-Makura argued that it is premature for the governor to name a preferred candidate and take the matter to the level of engaging the President. He said such moves sideline other stakeholders and party members who also have ambitions.
The former governor insisted that the process of picking a flagbearer should be left to the party structure. He urged the All Progressives Congress to conduct transparent primaries rather than settle for an imposed candidate ahead of the 2027 polls.
Governor Sule had earlier announced Wadada as his preferred successor during a meeting with political appointees and heads of government agencies at the Government House in Lafia. The announcement is being read as an early signal of political alignment within the state.
Senator Wadada currently represents Nasarawa West Senatorial District in the 10th Senate. He recently defected from the Social Democratic Party to the APC, a switch many observers link to his governorship ambition.
The governor’s endorsement has already stirred reactions inside the APC. Former Inspector-General of Police Abubakar Adamu has pushed back against the idea that Sule’s backing settles the contest. Adamu maintained that he will still vie for the party’s governorship ticket.
Governor Sule has defended his position by saying the governorship should be zoned to Nasarawa West in the interest of fairness and equity. That stance appears to favor Wadada’s candidacy but has drawn mixed responses from party chieftains and aspirants.
With Al-Makura now openly distancing himself from the endorsement, the battle for the APC ticket in Nasarawa is set to intensify. The call for open primaries sets up a direct clash between camps pushing for consensus and those demanding a competitive party process ahead of 2027.
