Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule affirmed his constitutional right to back any candidate he believes can continue the state’s development and announced that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will use direct primaries to choose its contenders for the next election cycle. Speaking during a statewide broadcast from Lafia, Sule said the decision to adopt direct primaries was arrived at after consultations with senior party stakeholders and is intended to give all aspirants an equal chance to compete.
“Because I am governor and the leader of our party in Nasarawa, I have exercised my democratic right to endorse a candidate who possesses the capacity, experience and vision to consolidate the gains we have made together,” Sule said. He stressed that his endorsement does not bar other aspirants from participating in the primary process and reiterated his commitment to a credible contest.
The governor appealed for calm and unity as political activities intensify. He warned party members, supporters of other parties, youths and community leaders against hate speech, intimidation and the spread of false information, describing peace, unity and progress as the state’s highest ambitions. “At the end of the primaries and the elections, we will remain one big family bound by a common destiny and united by our love for Nasarawa,” he added.
Sule also called on security agencies to remain professional and neutral throughout the electoral period and urged young people not to be drawn into any attempts to foment violence. He noted that consultations and political engagements ahead of the upcoming elections have already begun across various political blocs.
The governor’s statements underline the APC’s shift to direct primaries as a means of enhancing internal democracy while reinforcing his personal endorsement of a candidate he deems fit to sustain Nasarawa’s development trajectory. The move and the call for peaceful political conduct arrive as parties across Nigeria prepare for the next electoral cycle, setting the tone for forthcoming intra‑party contests and the broader electoral landscape.
