SDP replaces Nasarawa governorship candidate

The Social Democratic Party has replaced Musa Angbazo with former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu as its candidate for the 2027 governorship election in Nasarawa State.

Adamu emerged from a replacement primary held in Lafia, the state capital, after Angbazo withdrew. The move came only days after the Independent National Electoral Commission listed Angbazo as the SDP candidate, creating uncertainty over who would represent the party.

“

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

The primary was conducted across Nasarawa’s 13 local government areas, with ward results compiled by the party’s electoral committee. Joseph Achille, who chaired the committee, said 28,637 delegates took part. Adamu stood as the sole candidate and was declared the winner after the votes were collated.

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

In his acceptance speech, Adamu thanked delegates and promised an alternative to the state’s current administration. He said infrastructure and social services, especially in rural communities, would be priorities if he won. Visits around the state had shown him the condition of roads and other infrastructure, he said.

“

We will not neglect social amenities that are required. We’ve gone round the state; we have seen all the roads that are in the hinterlands are neglected. We’ll make sure that we take care of those.

“We will not neglect social amenities that are required. We’ve gone round the state; we have seen all the roads that are in the hinterlands are neglected. We’ll make sure that we take care of those,” he said. Adamu also highlighted healthcare and agriculture, saying government services needed to reach beyond Lafia and other urban centres. He said Nasarawa’s residents should gain more from the state’s mineral wealth.

Adamu said his campaign would set out specific programmes for each local government rather than rely on general promises. “During the campaign, we are going to be specific in all that we will do, and telling our people what we are going to do word-by-word, local government-by-local government,” he said. He served as inspector-general from 2019 to 2021 and is from Lafia.

“

During the campaign, we are going to be specific in all that we will do, and telling our people what we are going to do word-by-word, local government-by-local government.