By Francis Nansak, Lafia

The 2027 general election is currently dominating discussions in all spheres of life in Nasarawa State. This is due to the sheer number of interests across party lines and the pedigree of those seeking to be elected.

However, an investigation by our correspondent reveals a striking finding:the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may not need to rig to win majority votes, especially the governorship.

The reason is not far-fetched. The two-term tenure of incumbent Governor Abdullahi Sule has been a demonstration of an administration that means business in infrastructure, human capital development, and as a catapult for economic growth.

Without bias and without projecting the ruling party above others, this investigation gathered verifiable facts on why the APC may edge out others, based on the visible developments of the outgoing governor and the political capacity of its flagbearer, Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu.

Findings show that after the e-registration exercise conducted earlier this year, the APC stands with the largest followership and support base in the state, more than any other political platform.

This is further reinforced by massive defections from the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, attributed to Governor Sule’s impressive seven-and-a-half years in office. Despite pockets of dissatisfaction after the primaries conducted in May 2026, the APC still parades an unprecedented number of support groups and loyalists.

Furthermore, the state chairman of the party, Dr. Aliyu Bello, has added value to the party’s image through his charity foundation that consistently meets the needs of the people, especially students through scholarships.

Apart from the party structure, the APC governorship candidate, Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu, described as a born political tactician, has continued to attract endorsements from cultural groups, religious leaders, community leaders, and traditional rulers who are solidly behind his aspiration to succeed Governor Sule.

To be fair to the SDP candidate, retired IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, who left the APC over grievances from the primaries to become the sole candidate of the SDP, he has been active , distributing equipment and disbursing millions of naira to woo supporters. Yet, his endorsements, as at today, do not match the breadth of APC’s.

For the PDP, the story is different. Against the massive endorsements it enjoyed in previous election cycles, support for its governorship candidate, who has become almost a permanent flagbearer of the party, has declined geometrically. Many perceive him as pursuing a personal ambition above public interest.

The Labour Party candidate, Hon. Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi, and the ADC candidate, General Nuhu Angbazo (Rtd), are lagging behind in terms of broad endorsements.

The ADC candidate’s challenge is compounded by a lawsuit instituted against his candidacy by a former Minister of Environment, Barr. Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi, following the party’s primaries. The suit alleges monetary inducement and manipulation orchestrated by the former Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung, who served as returning officer.

This litigation has left supporters of the General and loyalists of the party in limbo.

Hon. Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi, serving member of the House of Representatives for Karu/Keffi/Kokona Federal Constituency, has no strong public endorsement yet. Many political watchers believe his current moves are more of testing the microphone for the future, not a serious push for 2027.

Beyond the state, at the national level, the APC is not dreaming of losing any seat in Nasarawa. The party’s candidates for federal and state legislative positions are grounded politicians with massive followership.

For instance, in Nasarawa West, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, who once had statewide appeal, is now tipped as a likely winner for the Senate. In the Akwanga Zone, Governor Abdullahi Sule himself, whose popularity rises daily due to his prudent and pragmatic leadership, is in the race. For Nasarawa South, Hon. Abubakar Hassan Nalaraba, a sitting House of Representatives member and former governorship aspirant with a youth-friendly agenda, is a political heavyweight. Defeating this calibre of politicians will not be a tea party.

These therefore shows verdict from the field that the APC in Nasarawa is riding on visible performance and structure, not on manipulation.