By Rayyanu Bala

When Kashim Shettima cautioned politicians in Borno State not to “pull down the roof” during their succession tensions in Borno state, it wasn’t just a warning for his home state, it was a message that travels well beyond it. In fact, it speaks directly to the current undercurrents within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa state.
Succession politics has never been smooth, anywhere even in advanced democracies.
Aspirants may feel entitled, stakeholders may feel influential, and alliances may shift here and there. But we all know that what separates stability from chaos is the ability of key actors to act as statesmen not as spoilers.
Take Borno as an example. The relationship between Kashim Shettima and Babagana Zulum is often cited because it worked. Shettima played a decisive role in Zulum’s emergence as governor. Everyone knows that. Yet, what’s more important and often overlooked is what came after. Despite whatever personal or political interests he may have had later, Shettima demonstrated restraint. He respected the sitting governor’s space, including his preferences around succession. That is what statesmanship looks like: knowing when to step back, even when you have the ability to step forward.
Now bring that lens to Nasarawa.
There is no denying the role Umaru Tanko Al-Makura played in building the APC’s structure in the state. His influence is real, earned, and historically significant. But history alone cannot dictate the present authority. Today, that authority rests with Abdullahi Sule—the sitting governor, the party leader on the ground, and the one holding the political leverage.
In 2019, when Al-Makura presented Sule as his preferred successor, APC stakeholders in Nasarawa largely aligned with that decision. There was acceptance, cooperation, and ultimately, a transition that preserved party unity. No one insisted on “pulling down the roof” simply because his decision was not respected.
So the question now is simple: why should it be different this time?
If the principle of continuity and respect for leadership is held then, it should hold now. Just as Shettima respected Zulum’s political space despite his own preferred aspirant, Al-Makura ought to extend the same courtesy to Sule. That doesn’t diminish his stature, it actually elevates it. It shows that leadership is not just about influence, but about knowing when to exercise restraint for the greater good.
Of course, aspirants will disagree. That’s part of democracy. But disagreement should not translate into destabilization. The idea that we would rather fracture the party simply because our preferred aspirant was not anointed is shortsightedness and politically self-defeating.
We must all know that power within party structures is not abstract. It is tied to incumbency, organization, and control of political machinery. Right now, in Nasarawa, that power sits with Governor Sule. Pretending otherwise will not change the reality, rather it will only increases the risk of unnecessary conflict.
Shettima’s warning, then, is more than a passing comment. It is a reminder. A reminder that political roofs, once pulled down, don’t just fall on opponents, they collapse on everyone underneath.
Nasarawa doesn’t need that kind of crisis. What it needs is maturity, consistency, and a shared commitment to keeping the house standing.