By Yahaya Idris
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Nasarawa State is facing internal pressure over the choice of its deputy governorship candidate ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The party has settled for retired Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, as its governorship candidate, but the reported choice of Engr. Laurence, a Gwandara from Kokona Local Government Area, as running mate has generated opposition from a group identifying itself as the Nasarawa SDP Concern Group.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the group described the proposed choice as a strategic miscalculation and urged the SDP leadership and its campaign Director-General to reconsider the decision.
The group specifically demanded that the deputy governorship slot be given to a candidate from Karu Local Government Area in Nasarawa West Senatorial District.
Group Cites Distribution of Political Positions
The Concern Group argued that political opportunities are already concentrated among Gwandara politicians across several political parties in the state.
It listed Abu Giza of the Zenith Labour Party as a governorship candidate, Danbala Almakura of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Daniel Ogazi of the APC as House of Representatives contenders, Danlami Awaje of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as another House of Representatives candidate, and Engr. Laurence as the reported SDP deputy governorship choice.
It also referenced an SDP House of Assembly position in Kokona.
According to the group, the distribution of positions across different parties raises questions about whether the Gwandara voting bloc can simultaneously support candidates across competing political platforms without becoming divided.
The group argued that such division could affect the SDP’s expected electoral calculations.
Karu Demanded for Deputy Governorship Slot
The group said Karu should receive greater consideration because of its population and voting strength.
It claimed that Karu could provide substantial votes for the SDP and argued that its voting population is significantly larger than the combined tribal voting calculations being considered in other areas.
The group further claimed that Karu had already been overlooked for both the House of Representatives and Senate tickets, which it said were allocated to Keffi, making the deputy governorship slot particularly important to the area.
It therefore urged the party to consider a popular Christian stakeholder from Karu as the running mate.
Those suggested, according to the statement, include a former member of the House of Representatives, former chairmen, commissioners, special advisers or a prominent businessperson with sufficient political structure to compete at the polling-unit level.
Calls for Wider Political Inclusion
The group also called for broader consideration of the political and demographic composition of Nasarawa West.
It identified Gbagyi communities in Karu, Nasarawa and Toto; Mada communities in Kokona, Akwanga and Karu; and Koro communities in Karu, Lafia and Obi as other blocs that could be considered in the selection process.
The group further claimed that the SDP had previously pressured Gaza to accept the deputy governorship position but that he declined.
However, the statement did not provide independent evidence to substantiate the claim.
‘Competence Should Supersede Tribe‘
While making its case for Karu, the Concern Group said competence, capacity, experience and religious balance should remain important considerations in selecting a running mate.
It, however, maintained that electoral calculations could not be ignored in a politically diverse state such as Nasarawa.
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The group consequently urged the SDP leadership to review the reported running-mate arrangement, arguing that choosing a candidate from Kokona primarily on the basis of Gwandara identity, rather than what it described as political strength and strategic balance, could affect the competitiveness of the party’s 2027 ticket.
The statement comes as political parties in Nasarawa continue to position themselves ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with negotiations over zoning, running mates, regional balance and electoral support expected to remain significant issues.