Bako Withdraws from Nasarawa West Senate Race, Backs Wadada
By Yahaya Idris
With only a few weeks to the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries, a Senate aspirant for the Nasarawa West Senatorial District, Hon. Emmanuel Bako, has withdrawn from the race.
Bako announced his decision during a press briefing on Sunday, citing fairness, unity, and justice as the guiding principles behind his withdrawal.
The seasoned politician and businessman had been vying for the APC ticket but said his decision followed extensive consultations with party leaders, stakeholders, and political associates.
“I have taken the most difficult and painful, but necessary decision to formally withdraw from the Nasarawa West Senatorial race,” he stated.
According to him, the move was informed by prevailing political realities and the need to promote unity, fairness, and strategic balance within the party.
Bako noted that the recent endorsement of Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu as the preferred governorship aspirant by Governor Abdullahi Sule, who hails from the same federal constituency as himself, influenced his decision.
“In the interest of equity, justice, and the spirit of brotherhood, I believe stepping aside is the right thing to do,” he added.
He further explained that although the decision was not taken lightly, it was a sacrifice rooted in party discipline, respect for constituted authority, and a commitment to prioritising the collective interest of the party and the state over personal ambition.
Bako subsequently declared his full support for Senator Wadada as the APC’s governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He also directed members of his campaign structure, including ward and local government coordinators, youth mobilisers, and women groups, to align with the party’s consensus arrangement.
“I urge all my supporters to collapse our structures into that of the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu, and work tirelessly for his victory, as well as that of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in 2027,” he said.
Emphasising the importance of unity, Bako noted that true leadership is defined not only by the positions held but also by the sacrifices made at critical moments.
“Today, we choose unity over rivalry, loyalty over personal ambition, and cohesion over division,” he said.
