A controversy has erupted within the Nasarawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the composition of the party’s governorship campaign council.
This follows the inclusion of Kabiru Dallah, the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) candidate for Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency, in the council.
The development has triggered allegations of a secret political arrangement between the APC leadership in the state and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike’s Rainbow Coalition.
Some party members are questioning the circumstances surrounding Mr. Dallah’s inclusion.
The controversy emerged shortly after the state chapter released the council list, which named Mr. Dallah as a member of the Youth Mobilisation Committee.
The party’s State Secretary, Yarus Daguza, who signed the list, denied any alliance with the Rainbow Coalition and said Mr. Dallah’s name has since been removed.
Yet, some party members insist that his initial inclusion raises serious questions that require investigation.
Some aggrieved members have called on Governor Abdullahi Sule, who is also the party’s leader in the state, to set aside the list and constitute a fresh campaign council that reflects the interests of all stakeholders.
They argued that such a move would restore confidence among members and strengthen the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections.
The controversy has also reportedly contributed to the reluctance of some supporters of gubernatorial aspirants who contested the APC primary against the party’s candidate, Senator Ahmed Wadada, to participate in the council.
Jacob Peters from Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area described the list as defective, alleging that it contained several errors and questionable appointments capable of undermining the party’s electoral fortunes.
“Some people are wrongly placed, while some individuals have no business in the campaign council,” he alleged.
He added that some members believe individuals working against the party’s interests may have infiltrated its leadership to sabotage its chances.
Other members expressed concern that those entrusted with ensuring electoral success were not showing sufficient commitment, noting that only a few individuals were actively campaigning for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other APC candidates.
Similarly, Shugaba Bello of Zanwa Ward in Lafia called on Governor Sule to discard the controversial list and restructure it for better results.
Sadau Ahmed from Nasarawa Central Constituency alleged that Mr. Wadada had, even before the release of the list, decided to retain members of his former senatorial campaign council to avoid internal disagreements.
Kefas Dangana from Obi LGA questioned the inclusion of Mr. Dallah, describing it as evidence of lack of commitment by the APC leadership.
“The APC also has a candidate for that constituency, yet the party leadership opted to include the name of another party’s candidate as a member of its campaign council,” he said.
The council has Governor Sule as Chairman of its Advisory Committee, alongside former governors and other prominent stakeholders.
However, Daguza insisted that the APC had no political understanding with Wike’s Rainbow Coalition.
“We have deleted the name of Kabiru Dallah. Nasarawa APC is not a member of the Rainbow Coalition,” he said.
Meanwhile, Samuel Jacob from Kuru in Toto LGA alleged that the state leadership was yet to demonstrate sufficient commitment towards ensuring victory for the APC in 2027.
He urged the leadership to put aside personal interests and work collectively for the success of all candidates.
“The party must rise above selfish interests and ensure the success of all, not just a few people. We in Nasarawa West are also being told that Dr. Faisal Shuaib, our candidate for the Nasarawa Senatorial District election, is not in the good books of the state party leadership, but rather that they favour a candidate from another party. We are waiting for the party to clarify this,” he said.
The growing discontent has raised concerns about internal cohesion within the Nasarawa APC as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
