By Rayyanu Bala

Party politics, unlike other vocations, goes beyond personal ambition: it is also about character, loyalty, temperament, and a shared vision for the future. Therefore, when we look closely at Nasarawa State politics since 2019, one name keeps standing out as a steady, consistent, and principled actor and this actor is Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada. In my humble opinion, Wadada is not just another aspirant in waiting, he is the most natural successor to Governor Abdullahi Sule.

Now, let’s start from where it all began.
In 2019, Wadada didn’t watch from the sidelines. He contested the APC governorship primary against Abdullahi Sule and came second. That alone tells you something important: he had structure, support, and credibility. But what truly defined Wadada was not the result of the said primary, it was his reaction to it.
At a time when tensions were high and other aspirants were allegedly planning protests, Wadada chose statesmanship over chaos. He was the first to accept the outcome of the primary and publicly congratulated Abdullahi Sule. That single act calmed nerves and effectively aborted what could have turned into a major party crisis. Leadership is often revealed in moments like that.
He didn’t stop there.
From the venue of the primary, Wadada personally drove to the residence of then-Governor Tanko Al-Makura to demonstrate, beyond words, that he had accepted the outcome in good faith. He replicated the same gesture in Keffi by visiting Senator Abdullahi Adamu. These were not empty optics; they were deliberate acts of loyalty to the people of Nasarawa state, loyalty to the party unity and respect for leadership.
Even more telling was what happened next. When Abdullahi Sule offered Wadada the position of Chairman of the 2019 Campaign Council, Wadada did not sulk, bargain, or reject it out of pride. He accepted and worked. That decision alone separated him from the familiar breed of politicians who believe that if they don’t win, the system must burn.
Since 2019, Wadada has remained consistently supportive of Sule’s administration. Not selectively. Not opportunistically. Consistently. Through thick and thin, he has stood by the government, offering support rather than sabotage. Importantly, he has never once disrespected Governor Sule, not in public, not in private leaks, not through proxies. In Nigerian politics, that level of restraint and respect is rare.
Beyond loyalty, there is something deeper at play: shared values.
Wadada and Sule are cut from the same cloth in many ways. Both are metropolitan politicians, exposed, modern in outlook, and forward-thinking. Both have large hearts and are notably accommodating of dissenting views. They listen. They don’t personalize disagreement. They are compassionate in leadership and, above all, genuinely interested in the development of Nasarawa State.
The above ingredients matters because, succession is not just about replacing a person; it’s about sustaining a philosophy and character of governance.
Another point many people overlook is integrity. Wadada, like Sule, has built a reputation that is not weighed down by corruption scandals either in the past or about to come in future. In a political environment where integrity often feels negotiable, this is no small asset. Trust matters, both within the state and beyond it.
And then there is geography and strategy.
Wadada is from the Keffi zone, a critical axis in Nasarawa politics. More importantly, he understands power beyond the state. He knows the people at the top. He knows how to engage national stakeholders and stand firmly for Nasarawa State when it truly matters, whether in terms of resources, influence, or urgent needs.
When you add everything together, Wadada’s role in 2019, his loyalty, his temperament, his alignment with Sule’s values, his integrity, his political exposure, and his strategic positioning, becomes hard to argue otherwise.
Wadada is not forcing himself into the conversation as a successor. The record speaks for him.
In politics, continuity works best when it is organic, not imposed. From every reasonable angle, Ahmed Aliyu Wadada represents continuity with competence. That is why, in my view, he is indeed the natural successor to Abdullahi Sule.