INEC Sparks Fresh Controversy, Excludes Ex-IGP Adamu From Nasarawa Candidate List

The 2027 Nasarawa State governorship election has taken a fresh turn following the release of the list of candidates cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest the poll.

A notable omission from the list is former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, whose campaign organisation had earlier maintained that he had joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and remained in the governorship race.

INEC on Saturday, August 29, published the names of governorship candidates and the political parties under which they are set to contest the 2027 election in Nasarawa State.

INEC Lists 15 Governorship Candidates

The electoral commission listed Ahmed Aliyu Wadada of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Musa Adamu Angbazo of the SDP, Dahiru Musa Doma of the Action People’s Party (APP), Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi of the Labour Party (LP) and retired Major General Nuhu Angbazo of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Others on the list include Emmanuel David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Ibrahim Kasimu Aboh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

INEC also listed Christopher Mamman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Abdullahi Omame Abisabo of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Abubakar Abdu Giza of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Mohammed Awwal Suleiman of the Allied People’s Movement (APM).

Completing the list are Abdullah Bukhari of the Action Alliance (AA), Kigbu John Tanko of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Dogo Danladi Shammah of the Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDC) and Shuaibu Umaru Kubi of Accord.

Despite Adamu’s absence from the commission’s published list, the Director-General of his Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation, Abdullahi Yammani, insisted that the former police chief had formally joined the SDP.

Yammani, speaking with Daily Trust in Lafia, said Adamu completed his registration with the party online after leaving the APC.

He said, “The Ex-IGP, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, has officially registered with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), online. He is fully in the race and ready to contest the governorship of Nasarawa State.”

According to Yammani, Adamu’s move to the SDP followed consultations with political stakeholders across the 13 local government areas of the state.

He added that the former IGP planned to use his experience in security and governance to address some of Nasarawa State’s challenges if elected governor.

However, the claim has generated controversy following INEC’s publication of Musa Adamu Angbazo as the SDP governorship candidate for the state.

Yammani nevertheless expressed optimism that the discrepancy would be addressed, maintaining that Adamu’s campaign organisation possesses documents to substantiate his registration and candidacy under the SDP.