By Rayyanu Bala

As the discussions about the 2027 governorship election in Nasarawa state gather momentum, at the centre of the discussion is the zoning arrangement that has, for years, guided the rotation of power among the state’s senatorial zones. Recently, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Dr Aliyu Bello, made it clear where the party stands: the zoning arrangement must be respected, he said.
Frankly, it is difficult to fault that position.
According to Aliyu Bello, the party is fully aligned with the stance of Abdullahi Sule, who believes the existing power-rotation formula should continue ahead of the 2027 governorship race. The governor, Aliyu Bello noted, is not attempting to invent a new political structure. Rather, he is simply advocating for the continuation of a system that predates his administration, a system that has helped keep the delicate political balance in Nasarawa intact.
For years, Nasarawa’s political stability has largely depended on the understanding that power rotates among the three senatorial zones, Nasarawa North, Nasarawa West and Nasarawa South. It is a mechanism designed to ensure no part of the state feels permanently excluded from leadership. In a state as politically and ethnically diverse as Nasarawa, such an arrangement is not just sensible; it is necessary.
Aliyu Bello captured this sentiment when he said that “every right-thinking person” should support the zoning principle. While the wording may sound blunt, the message behind it is hard to dispute. Zoning, from any angle we look at it, is about fairness, inclusion and balance. It gives every part of the state a sense of belonging.
And that is precisely why the current opposition to the arrangement raises eyebrows.
Those campaigning against zoning at this stage appear less concerned about the collective good of Nasarawa and more focused on personal political ambition. If the system has helped maintain peace, fairness and political stability for years, why suddenly dismantle it now? What exactly has changed?
One cannot escape the conclusion that some of the loudest voices against zoning are motivated by narrow interests and are the proponents of zoning before now. They want the political equation altered in a way that favours them even if doing so risks reopening old rivalries or upsetting the balance that has kept the state relatively stable.
Even more troubling is the underlying attempt to frustrate the political legacy of Governor Sule. Like every leader, Sule’s administration will ultimately be judged by the structures it preserves and the stability it leaves behind. Ensuring that the established zoning arrangement is respected is part of that legacy. Yet some political actors seem determined to undermine that effort not because the policy is flawed, but because they simply do not want governor sule to succeed.
The Nasarawa APC’s decision to back the governor “one hundred percent” on this issue is therefore both strategic and responsible. Political parties, after all, exist not just to win elections but also to maintain internal order and coherence. By standing firmly behind zoning, the APC under Aliyu Bello is signalling that stability and fairness remain more important than the ambitions of a few individuals.
The debate about who eventually became governor in 2027 is not the matter for now. As of now, aspirants are emerging, alliances are shifting and subtle campaigns are on going until the fixed date for the conduct of primaries and the general elections. But all these must happen within the framework that has helped keep the state politically balanced. So abandoning that framework now especially on zoning would be reckless.
Nasarawa does not need unnecessary political tension at a time when governance, development and unity takes priority. Indeed, zoning arrangement may not be democratic, but it has worked and the wisest decision in politics is to preserve what already works.
Those who truly have the interest of Nasarawa State at heart should recognise that simple truth. Those who do not will continue to shout against zoning not for the sake of fairness, but for the sake of themselves.
Most citizens of Nasarawa State will however continue to support the APC under the leadership of Dr. Aliyu Bello, in respect of the zoning since the arrangement is About Fairness, not personal ambition.