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The Social Democratic Party has picked a former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, as its candidate for the 2027 Nasarawa State governorship election.

Adamu emerged during a substitution primary held on Saturday in Lafia, the state capital, following the withdrawal of the party’s previously listed candidate, Musa Angba.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had listed Angba as the SDP’s governorship candidate for the state before his withdrawal paved the way for the substitution.

Declaring the result, the Chairman of the SDP Electoral Committee for Nasarawa State, Joseph Achille, said the primary was conducted across the state’s 13 local government areas.

Achille said 28,637 delegates participated in the exercise, adding that the votes cast at the ward level were duly collated.

“Sitting before you today to conduct this election. As you are all aware, we have a sole candidate for the office of governor, SDP, Nasarawa State,” he told the delegates.

He subsequently declared Adamu the winner after the former police chief secured the highest number of valid votes.

“Having scored the total votes peacefully and lawfully, it gives me singular privilege, by the powers conferred on me by the National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee, to declare the result that Mohammed Abubakar Adamu scored the highest lawful valid votes.

“Subsequently, he is declared, returned, and elected as the candidate and flag-bearer of the Social Democratic Party for Nasarawa State,” Achille said.

He described the exercise as free, fair and credible before inviting Adamu to deliver his acceptance speech.

The former IG thanked the party for conducting the primary and pledged to work towards improving the state if elected in 2027.

“I am delighted that the primaries have been conducted. I’m also delighted that we have been declared the winner. My family and the people of Nasarawa State are delighted that this primary has been conducted, and we have been declared winners,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Director of Media and Strategic Communications of the Adamu Campaign Organisation, Otaru Douglas, said the former police chief’s affirmation had ended what he described as speculation over the SDP ticket.

In a statement issued after the exercise, Douglas claimed the turnout and unanimous support for Adamu demonstrated the party’s unity ahead of the election.

“The people have shown uncommon resilience and commitment to changing the governance narrative of our dear state. They have rejected politics of intimidation and inducement and have chosen competence, experience, integrity and proven leadership,” he said.

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Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Bola Tinubu to open up his records for public scrutiny, just as he has done, insisting that the renewed circulation of decades-old allegations against him is a distraction from the president’s own reluctance to submit to similar examination.

In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president, described the resurfacing of allegations rooted in the political battles of the President Olusegun Obasanjo era as the convulsion of political opponents cornered by their own failures, unable to defend the hardship Nigerians are enduring and now desperately searching for an Atiku controversy because they cannot survive scrutiny of their own economic record.

“At some point, desperation announces itself. When those defending this government can no longer explain why food, transportation, electricity, rent, education, insecurity and healthcare are increasingly beyond the reach of ordinary families, they rummage through twenty-year-old files looking for an escape route. This is panic dressed up as accountability,” the statement read.

Atiku maintained that the allegations had already been tested through the full machinery of the state during his political disagreement with the Obasanjo administration, and none resulted in a conviction. “Let us not rewrite history. The Obasanjo administration did not protect me. At the height of our political disagreement, these matters travelled through the EFCC, an administrative panel, the National Assembly and the courts. The machinery of the state was fully deployed, and the political hostility was public. Yet no court convicted me on these allegations. That is the record.”

He questioned what new evidence had emerged to justify reviving the allegations nearly two decades later.

According to him, “A petition is not a conviction, an acknowledgement stamp is not evidence of guilt, and repetition cannot magically become a judgment of court.” Anyone with credible evidence against me should bring it out and test it before the law. I have issued that challenge before, and I repeat it today without hesitation.”

Drawing a contrast with the President, Atiku pointed to Tinubu’s intervention in an American court case seeking the release of FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration DEA records concerning him.

“While I am saying, ‘bring out your evidence,’ Tinubu actually went to an American court to intervene in a case seeking FBI and DEA records concerning him, citing privacy interests in records he argued should not be disclosed. It is like a man ordering his neighbour to empty his pockets while keeping his own firmly zipped.

A man seeking protection for his own records has no business waving petitions at somebody else. My challenge is simple: let every lawful record be opened and every allegation tested. Let Nigerians see who welcomes scrutiny and who reaches for privacy arguments when the files concern him,” he said.

He argued, however, that the exchange of allegations does little to address the everyday economic struggles of Nigerians.

Atiku also cautioned against the use of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC as a tool for political battles, stressing that the agency belongs to the country and not to any individual or party.

He said no amount of recycled allegations could substitute for governance that improves the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

According to him, the coming elections would ultimately be decided on record and performance, not on old political battles. “The old script did not stop me then, and it will not stop me now. In 2027, Nigerians will judge us by our records, the lives they are living and the future we offer them. Those afraid of that judgment may continue rummaging through the archives. We are facing the Nigerian people.”

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The African Democratic Congress has unveiled its governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the 2027 general elections in 28 states, including former presidential aide Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour in Lagos, former Kaduna State governorship candidate Isa Ashiru and former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

The party also fielded former Delta State governorship candidate Great Ogboru, Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita in Katsina.

The candidates were announced in a statement on Friday, with the party saying they would carry its banner and commitment to providing Nigerians with credible leadership and a “real alternative” in the 2027 elections.

A release by the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi also shared on X disclosed this.

Other notable candidates include Senator Halliru Dauda Jika in Bauchi, former House of Representatives member Herman Iorwase Hembe in Benue, former House of Representatives member Zakari Mohammed in Kwara and former Nigerian Army officer Brigadier General John Sunday Sura in Plateau.

The party also fielded candidates in Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

In Lagos, Rhodes-Vivour will contest the governorship with Gbadamosi Babatunde Olalere as his running mate, while Ashiru will fly the party’s ticket in Kaduna alongside Kantiok Irmiya Ishaku.

Ogboru is paired with Afiari Gloria in Delta, while Kaita will contest in Katsina with Aminu Yar’adua Ahmed as his running mate.

In Kebbi, Malami will contest alongside Zagi Musa Mohammed.

The ADC said the candidates represented its commitment to offering Nigerians an alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.

ADC unveiled the candidates ahead of the February 6, 2027 governorship elections.

Also, governorship campaigns are scheduled to begin on September 9, 2026.

Here is the full list:

ADC governor & deputy governor candidates

Abia: Governor – Kalu Kalu Agu; Deputy Governor – Alozie Ogidimma Darlington.

Adamawa: Governor – Modibbo Hammantukur Ribadu; Deputy Governor – Aguwa Kevin Iliya.

Akwa Ibom: Governor – Akpanudoedehe John James; Deputy Governor – Nsien Mkpombuk Tommy.

Bauchi: Governor – Sen. Halliru Dauda Jika; Deputy Governor – Sama’ila Mohammed Kabir.

Benue: Governor – Rt. Hon. Herman Iorwase Hembe; Deputy Governor – Abba John Abba.

Borno: Governor – Babagana Buhari; Deputy Governor – Mamman Dauda.

Cross River: Governor – Nkoyo Toyo; Deputy Governor – Okwoche Andrew Adagbor.

Delta: Governor – Chief Great Ogboru; Deputy Governor – Afiari Gloria.

Ebonyi: Governor – Ukpai Mba Udeh; Deputy Governor – Onwe Daniel Ede.

Enugu: Governor – Ocho Obodoze Chukwuma; Deputy Governor – Eze Arinze Christopher.

Gombe: Governor – Bala Bello; Deputy Governor – Bala Sani Isa.

Jigawa: Governor – Sabo Mohammed Nakudu; Deputy Governor – Musa Ya’u Balarabe.

Kaduna: Governor – Isa Mohammed Ashiru; Deputy Governor – Kantiok Irmiya Ishaku.

Kano: Governor – Ibrahim Ali Amin; Deputy Governor – Shehu Abdulkadir Bari.

Kastina: Governor – Sen. Ahmad Babba Kaita; Deputy Governor – Aminu Yar’adua Ahmed.

Kebbi: Governor – Abubakar Malami; Deputy Governor – Zagi Musa Mohammed.

Kwara: Governor – Zakari Mohammed; Deputy Governor – Olawuyi Julius Olayide.

Lagos State: Governor – Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour; Deputy Governor – Gbadamosi Babatunde Olalere.

Nasarawa: Nuhu Angbazo — Governor; Ahmed Yusuf — Deputy Governor

Niger: Dr. Mohammed Kpautagi — Governor; Musa Mamman — Deputy Governor

Ogun: Biodun Collins Ogundipe — Governor; Muraina Oluwaranti Oluyemi — Deputy Governor

Oyo: Taofeek Adegboyega Adegoke — Governor; Wahab Adeniyi — Deputy Governor

Plateau: Brig. Gen. John Sunday Sura — Governor; Pwajok-Kele Chundung Bitrus — Deputy Governor

Rivers: Gabriel Pidomson — Governor; Okumgba David Amapakaye — Deputy Governor

Sokoto: Manir Mohammad Daniya — Governor; Isah Bello Ambarura — Deputy Governor

Taraba: Abubakar Umar Tutare — Governor; Kwetishe Haruna Kwenyan — Deputy Governor

Yobe: Kassim G. Gaidam — Governor; Kori Lawan Mohammed — Deputy Governor

Zamfara: Shinkafi Bilyaminu Yusuf — Governor; Muhammad Abdulmuddalib Auwal — Deputy Governor