- Governor Abdullahi Sule rejected claims that the 2027 elections would pit the APC against Nigerians, describing such narratives as misleading
- He said elections in Nigeria had consistently been driven by candidates and their performance rather than party affiliation
- Sule also linked recent defections of governors to the APC to the impact of President Tinubu’s economic and fiscal reforms
Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, has criticised the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for claiming that the 2027 general election would be a contest between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Nigerian people, describing the narrative as misleading and politically incorrect.
Speaking during an interview on Politics Today, a programme aired on Channels Television and monitored by TheRadar.ng on Thursday, January 29, Governor Sule argued that elections in Nigeria are fundamentally driven by candidates rather than political parties.
According to the governor, the 2027 presidential election should be viewed as a contest between individuals on different platforms, not a confrontation between a ruling party and the electorate.
“The 2027 election is about Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima on the platform of the APC against candidates from other parties. It is a wrong impression to say the election is about the APC against Nigerians,” the governor stated.
He stressed that voting patterns across the country show that Nigerians focus more on personalities and performance than party affiliation, particularly at the sub-national level.
“For us here in Nasarawa State, we actually vote for candidates. The people of Nigeria are going to vote for the best candidates they know and those who can make an impact in their lives, whether it is the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives or House of Assembly elections,” he added.
Governor Sule further noted that this trend has consistently shaped electoral outcomes in the country, insisting that political messaging portraying elections as a battle between citizens and a ruling party does not reflect reality.
In a related development, the Nasarawa State governor also shed light on the wave of defections by state governors to the APC, attributing the movement to the reforms initiated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Fielding questions on Politics Today earlier in the week, Sule dismissed claims that the defections signify political desperation or coercion, arguing instead that tangible governance outcomes drive them.
“Why do political parties panic when governors are leaving, and their departure does not mean anything?” he queried. “Why does the governors’ departure suddenly become a betrayal or a major problem?”
According to Sule, the APC recently welcomed its 29th governor following the defection of Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, with the Taraba State governor expected to join the party formally within days.
He maintained that the growing number of defections reflects the impact of President Tinubu’s economic and fiscal reforms, particularly on revenue generation and state allocations.
“More governors are joining the APC because of the impact they have been able to make, driven by the reforms of President Tinubu. If you go to every state in Nigeria, you will see major changes as a result of the improved revenue that these governors are getting,” Sule added.
The governor concluded that the APC’s growing appeal among state leaders is rooted in governance performance rather than political pressure, adding that Nigerians will ultimately judge all parties and candidates based on their ability to deliver tangible benefits ahead of the 2027 elections.