Kaduna APC returns to Muslim-Christian gov ticket

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has appointed Jerry Adams, the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service, as his running mate for the 2027 gubernatorial election. This decision marks a significant departure from the All Progressives Congress's (APC) long-standing Muslim-Muslim ticket in the state, which began in 2019.

Adams, a Christian from Southern Kaduna, will serve as the deputy governorship candidate, signaling a renewed focus on power-sharing and representation. Governor Sani stated that the choice reaffirms his administration's dedication to inclusion, justice, equity, and good governance. He described Adams' emergence as more than a mere selection, but a reflection of the core values guiding his government since he took office.

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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 move effectively ends the practice of a Muslim-Muslim ticket, previously implemented by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai. While the former deputy governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, hailed from the predominantly Christian Southern Kaduna, critics argued that the region lacked representation at the highest executive level. The last Christian deputy governor from Southern Kaduna was Barnabas Bantex, who served from 2015 to 2019.

Governor Sani highlighted Kaduna's ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity, urging unity over division. He referenced historical lessons about the cost of mistrust and exclusion, contrasting it with the achievements possible when dialogue, inclusion, and justice prevail. The governor also pointed to his administration's development projects across all 23 local government areas, spanning infrastructure, education, healthcare, and agriculture.

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Our history has taught us difficult lessons about the high cost of division, mistrust and exclusion. Yet it has also shown us that when we choose dialogue over discord, inclusion over alienation and justice over prejudice, our people achieve extraordinary things together.