Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has declared that the decision to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, for the 2027 governorship election was taken with full conviction and remains unchanged, expressing absolute confidence in his victory.
Speaking on Monday during an appearance on News Week, a programme on TVC monitored in Lafia, Governor Sule said there was no uncertainty about the party’s choice of candidate.
“There is no ambiguity in what I am going to say. There is no doubt in my mind. When we selected Wadada and believed that he was the right person to carry the flag of our party, we meant it then, we mean it now, we mean it tomorrow. I have absolutely 100 per cent confidence,” the governor stated.
Governor Sule made the remarks amid allegations by former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu Abubakar, that the APC governorship primary election was manipulated.
According to the results of the primary, Senator Wadada secured 195,285 votes to defeat the former IGP, who polled 39,675 votes. Mohammed Adamu has since threatened to defect from the APC over the outcome.
Reacting to the allegations, Sule noted that the former police chief won in some local government areas, including Lafia and Keana, arguing that it was contradictory to claim the process was fair only in areas where he emerged victorious.
“So it is not like he was beaten by every local government. He won some local government areas. Was everything right in those local government areas where he won? Everything was done right, that is why he won. And then in the other local government areas, according to him, it was done wrong. So what does that tell you?” the governor queried.
Governor Sule appealed to the former IGP to reconsider his reported plans to leave the ruling party, describing such a move as unfortunate, especially for someone who recently joined the APC.
“He retired less than four years ago and came and joined the party. So he just joined the party as a matter of fact. If he has lost, so what? You have lost. You have learned certain things from it and you pick yourself up from there and move on. What makes him think he is going to get what he is looking for in another party?” he asked.
The governor also dismissed concerns that the votes secured by the former IGP during the primary could pose a threat to the APC ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
He maintained that differing political preferences among party members were normal in a democratic setting, citing his own experience during the APC primaries.
“That is what democracy is all about. That is their choice. People have choices and I love it when people exercise their choices. So just because someone got 15, 20, or 25 per cent of the votes does not mean the people are against me or against my candidate,” he said.
On his decision to contest the Nasarawa North senatorial seat, Governor Sule admitted that he had earlier ruled out running for the Senate after the 2023 Supreme Court judgment affirming his election.
He, however, explained that pressure from political stakeholders and extensive consultations over time influenced his decision to join the race.
“There are times when you get to this kind of position and there are forces around you that justify why you have to change your position. I didn’t come in with a dying urge to go to the Senate. But when I finally accepted and made up my mind to run, I committed myself fully to winning, just as I did with the primaries,” he added.