By Samson Obande,  Lafia.

All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate for Nasarawa State, Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, on Friday met with aspirants from the Nasarawa South Senatorial Zone who lost out in the party’s recent primary election, as part of ongoing reconciliation efforts ahead of the 2027 polls.

The meeting, held in Lafia, brought together former contestants from the zone, party leaders, present and former members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, members of the State Executive Council, APC State Chairman Dr. Aliyu Bello, Dr. Joseph Haruna Kigbu, and other stakeholders.

Senator Wadada apologised for arriving late, saying the delay was unintended. He commended the aspirants for remaining in the

party after the primary.

“There is a clear difference between losing a position and losing an election,” he said. “Whoever goes for an election and loses a position, but keeps away from the people afterward, has decided to lose the election. But for those of you who have lost a position and have remained with the people, you have only lost, for now, the position you fought for. You do not yet know the position God has kept for you.”

He urged the former aspirants to view their experience as part of the evolution of politics, noting that technology and a more informed electorate have made governance more transparent and accountability-driven.

“Politicians cannot approach the electorate with promises alone,” Wadada said. “The average voter today is well informed and will always measure a politician’s promises against his past record.”

He said he had toured the state with concrete governance plans tailored to communities across religious and cultural lines, rather than “empty campaign rhetoric.”

The senator commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for his administration’s achievements, stating that the governor has made Nasarawa “more strategic and more visible on the national stage.”

“Under Governor Sule, the state’s profile has grown significantly. The level of governance and infrastructural development has made Nasarawa more prominent and more respected than it used to be,” he said.

Wadada assured the former aspirants of his commitment to party unity and an inclusive government that reflects the contributions of all stakeholders, regardless of their primary outcomes.

Speaking for the party, APC State Youth Leader, Comrade Abdullahi Ahmed Mohammed, thanked the aspirants for staying with the APC and assured them of accommodation in government if the party wins in 2027.

“Government is large enough to carry everyone along,” he said, urging them to work with the leadership for electoral victory.

Giving the vote of thanks, senatorial aspirant Mohammed Ari, DIG rtd, thanked Senator Wadada for the engagement, saying it gave the aspirants a sense of belonging.

He, however, called for measures to address the financial burden incurred by aspirants who contested the primary, noting that many expended substantial resources before losing out.