Zamfara APC Denies Premature Selection of 2027 Gubernatorial Candidate
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State has officially dismissed reports claiming the party has already anointed a candidate for the 2027 governorship election. In a statement on Tuesday, the state chapter’s Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris, categorically labelled the reports as false.
Idris stated that the state APC leadership is unaware of any decision or consensus regarding a flag-bearer for the upcoming polls. He emphasised that the party remains open to all aspirants interested in contesting under its platform. However, he underscored that the official process for candidate selection is strictly through internal party primaries, not through stakeholders’ meetings or any informal arrangements.
The denial follows increasing political manoeuvring in Zamfara, with various potential contenders reportedly beginning to position themselves for state and national offices years before the elections. Such early positioning often leads to speculation and rumours about preferred candidates, which the party now seeks to counter.
This incident highlights the sensitivity around candidate nominations in Zamfara, a state where the APC has previously experienced significant internal conflicts. Disputes over candidate selection have, in the past, fractured the party’s unity and negatively impacted its electoral performance, including during the 2019 and 2023 election cycles. Those historical tensions contribute to the current environment where any hint of a predetermined choice is swiftly met with official rebuttal.
Idris’s statement is therefore a clear assertion of the party’s intended procedural norms. By reiterating that decisions will be made via primaries, the APC aims to manage expectations, deter prematurecampaigning, and prevent a recurrence of the factional disputes that have weakened its ticket in Zamfara before.
The party’s stance sets a formal expectation that all interested participants must await the official primary timetable. For observers, the denial signals an attempt to enforce discipline within the state chapter ahead of a crucial election cycle. Success in managing this process will be seen as key to the APC’s strategy to consolidate its position and present a united front in Zamfara for the 2027 general elections. The next steps will involve the formal kick-off of the party’s primary schedule, typically announced closer to the election year.
