Nasarawa State Government Responds to Al-Makura’s Criticism of Governor Sule’s Endorsement
The Nasarawa State Government has defended Governor Abdullahi Sule’s endorsement of Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada as his preferred governorship aspirant for the 2027 elections, following criticism from former governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.
In a statement issued by Ali Abare, Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Governor, the government maintained that Governor Sule acted within established political norms in the state. “With due respect for Senator Al-Makura’s person and his place in the history of this state, we are duty-bound to set the record straight,” the statement read.
The government emphasized that the endorsement process followed a lengthy consultation across the state, involving stakeholders from different sectors and all aspirants. “This is not the conduct of someone who woke up one morning to impose a candidate. This is careful, deliberate leadership,” the statement added.
Officials pointed out that Governor Sule’s approach mirrors the political tradition in Nasarawa State, where former governors have historically selected their successors. “It is important to recall that the very process Senator Al-Makura now appears to criticize is the same process by which Governor Sule came to office,” the statement noted.
The government also referenced Al-Makura’s own words from an earlier APC stakeholders meeting in Lafia, where he reportedly assured that he was convinced Governor Sule would choose his successor in the best interest of the state. “He urged the entire party to rally behind whoever Sule selected. Those were his own words,” the statement said.
Regarding the governor’s presentation of Wadada to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the government described it as a responsible political practice. “Informing the national leader of the party about a major political development in one’s state is not only proper, it is the responsible thing to do,” the statement explained.
The government clarified that Wadada remains only a “preferred aspirant,” emphasizing that party primaries will still determine the final candidate. “The Governor has said clearly that he came in through free and fair primaries and will conduct the same,” the statement concluded, calling for unity within the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections.
