Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has announced that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has agreed to conduct a direct primary election for the 2027 governorship and other elective positions.
He added that in the spirit of fairness and equity, it was time for the Nasarawa West senatorial zone to produce the next governor of the state.
Governor Sule spoke on Sunday while addressing the press following a marathon meeting he convened with governorship aspirants, members of the National Assembly, the deputy governor, and other high-ranking members of the party.
He said the meeting provided a platform for all key stakeholders to freely express their views on how the party should navigate the primary election season in a manner that keeps the APC united and strong.
“We have very strong aspirants, most of them who have held top positions in this country, some of them still holding positions.
“These are people we have to treat with respect. We have to remind them about the importance of working together to conclude this exercise,” he stated.
On the mode of primary, Governor Sule said the majority of those at the meeting came out strongly in favour of a direct primary, a position he said is consistent with the views of President Bola Tinubu, who had always maintained that direct primaries give every party member a voice in determining who flies the party’s flag.
He further gave a firm assurance that the process would be open, transparent, and fully in line with the APC constitution and the Electoral Act, leaving no room for grievances.
He appealed to all aspirants to accept the outcome of the primary in good faith, warning that whoever chooses to leave the party after losing a transparent and democratic exercise would only be demonstrating an inability to accept defeat.
“Nobody, nobody whatsoever will have any excuse to leave the party, because we are going to have a very transparent, very democratic process in line with the constitution of the party and the Electoral Act. So the person who leaves after losing is leaving because he does not know how to lose,” he said.
On the question of which senatorial zone should produce the next governor, Governor Sule said the matter was thoroughly discussed at the meeting, and he made his position clear.
He noted that while the term “zoning” has been used loosely in the past, what is actually at play is the principle of equity and brotherhood among the three senatorial zones.
The governor recalled that Nasarawa South Senatorial Zone, covering the Lafia axis, produced the governor for twelve years, while Nasarawa North, covering the Akwanga axis, currently holds the office.
He argued that in the spirit of fairness, it is now the turn of Nasarawa West Senatorial Zone, covering the Keffi axis, which has not produced a governor in over twenty years.
“I keep insisting, and I stand by that, in line with the spirit of brotherhood, let us take it to Keffi Zone, which has not produced a governor for 20 years,” he stated.
Governor Sule thanked all stakeholders for attending the meeting and for the spirit of cooperation they demonstrated, expressing confidence that the APC in Nasarawa State would emerge from the primaries stronger, united, and ready to win the 2027 general election.