A former governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura, has criticised Governor Abdullahi Sule for naming Senator Aliyu Wadada as his preferred candidate for the 2027 governorship election without broader consultation.
Speaking in a video shared on X by @NigAffairs, Al-Makura made it clear he was not part of the decision-making process. When asked whether he had been consulted, the former governor responded pointedly, “Do you want a yes or no answer?” before giving a blunt reply: “No.”
Al-Makura further argued that it is premature for the governor to begin promoting a successor, particularly at a level that involves engagement with the President. He emphasised that the emergence of a governorship candidate should follow a transparent and democratic process within the party, urging the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct fair primaries rather than impose a candidate.
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 move is widely seen as an early signal of political positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wadada, who currently represents Nasarawa West Senatorial District in the 10th Senate, recently defected from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the APC—a move many observers link to his governorship ambition.
However, the endorsement has already triggered internal contestation within the APC. Former Inspector-General of Police, Abubakar Adamu, has rejected suggestions that Sule’s backing is final, insisting he will contest for the party’s governorship ticket.
Governor Sule has defended his position, maintaining that, in the interest of fairness and equity, the governorship should be zoned to Nasarawa West. While this stance appears to favour Wadada, it has continued to generate mixed reactions within the party, highlighting early signs of division as the 2027 race gradually takes shape.
