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Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has nominated Jerry Adams, the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election.

This development came to fore after wide consultations, deep reflection and earnest prayers, I am delighted to announce the nomination of Mr Jerry Adams, FCTI, FNIM, CNA, as my running mate in the 2027 Governorship Election,” the governor wrote on his X handle on Tuesday.

The nomination marks the first time in seven years that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has fielded a Christian as its deputy governorship candidate in Kaduna State, signalling a departure from the party’s Muslim-Muslim governorship tickets in the 2019 and 2023 elections.

According to the governor, the nomination reflects his administration’s commitment to inclusion, justice, fairness and equitable representation across the state.

“This decision is far greater than the selection of a deputy governorship candidate. It is a reaffirmation of the values that have guided our administration since I took the oath of office on 29 May 2023; the values of inclusion, justice, fairness, equity and the unwavering conviction that every citizen of Kaduna State deserves a genuine sense of belonging,” the governor said.

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed claims by ex-Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, that the 2026 Service-Wide Vote (SWV) was set aside to fund President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign, saying the ghost of his sordid past haunting him.

This was disclosed in a statement by APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka where described Atiku’s allegation as a sign of disturbing ignorance of basic public finance principles and calculated mischief.

Atiku had accused the Tinubu administration of using the Service-Wide Vote as an illegal slush fund for the 2027 election.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed claims by former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, that the 2026 Service-Wide Vote (SWV) was set aside to fund President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.

In his response ,Morka said Atiku failed to provide any evidence to support the allegation.

He explained that “A Service-Wide Vote is a long-established and widely used budgetary mechanism designed to cater for government-wide obligations and unforeseen expenditures that arise after the annual budget has been passed.”

“It is not a secret fund or an illegal slush account, as Atiku has baselessly and recklessly alleged.”

The APC said the SWV is a normal budgeting practice used in many countries and argued that Atiku, as an experienced politician, should understand how it works.

The ruling party also accused the former vice president of trying to tarnish the image of the Tinubu administration.

The ghost of his sordid past haunts Atiku,” the statement said, adding that he was attempting to attack an administration it described as successful.

The APC pointed to several government programmes under the Renewed Hope Agenda, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the new national minimum wage, the Consumer Credit Scheme and the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative, as examples of the administration’s achievements.

The party maintained that Nigerians can distinguish between political accusations and the government’s performance, insisting that President Tinubu remains focused on economic reforms, tax relief for low-income earners and stabilising the economy ahead of the 2027 elections.

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Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has thrown his weight behind, Rep Kingsley Chinda, Rainbow Coalition, a political movement that comprises members of different political parties in Rivers State, led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Fubara made this declaration during the groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction and equipping of Riven Medical Facility, a public-private sector-driven pharmaceutical factory in the state.

He affirmed President Bola Tinubu as his preferred presidential candidate, and Kingsley Chinda as the preferred governorship candidate, urging his supporters to back all candidates on the coalition’s platform in the 2027 elections.

Governor Fubara said the period of political conflict in the state was over, stressing that peace and unity are now paramount to the state’s development.

“I am supporting our Rainbow Coalition. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is our President, and he is the one we are supporting.

The governorship candidate is the candidate I am supporting, and anybody who believes in me will support every candidate under the Rainbow Coalition,” the governor declared.

He dismissed calls by some political actors to delay aligning with the coalition, insisting that he had already made his decision.

“I am already in the family. I have returned to our family. Give your total support to the coalition. The time of war is over; it is now time for peace, and that peace will take us to another level,” he said.

The governor warned against actions capable of creating divisions in the state, maintaining that he would not be associated with any agenda that threatened the prevailing peace.

“I am not party to anything that will bring any form of disunity in this state. We have done what we need to do, and now we are moving forward,” he added.

On the investment project, Fubara assured residents that the state government is fully committed to the successful completion of the medical consumables factory, explaining that he accepted to support the project only after receiving assurances from the investors and government officials about its viability and delivery timeline.

According to him, the first phase of the project is expected to be completed within three months, describing it as a strategic investment that would boost industrialisation, create jobs and position Rivers State as a production hub for medical consumables.

He said the project would stimulate economic activities through manufacturing, attract local and international patronage, and encourage the establishment of supporting industries around the facility.

The governor also pledged the government’s full backing for the investors, while urging the host community to cooperate with the company to ensure the project’s success.

He noted that the state government is determined to avoid contractual disputes that could discourage investors, revealing that Rivers State is already involved in litigation with several companies amounting to over ₦200 billion.

Governor Fubara assured the investors that the government would continue to monitor the project and expressed optimism that the first phase would be officially unveiled within the next three months.