APC chieftain backs Toto-born senatorial candidate Shuaib Faisal, pledges to reconcile aggrieved party members ahead of elections
By Yahaya Idris
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Hon. Barr. Umar Gali Ahmed, has explained his decision to support Hon. Yerima Albasheer Mohammed for the House of Representatives seat ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Gali, the convener of APC Vanguard Toto LG, said his endorsement was informed by the need to sustain the traditional zoning arrangement between Toto and Nasarawa local government areas, while strengthening unity within the ruling party.
The legal practitioner and grassroots mobiliser argued that zoning remained an important consideration in determining political representation and maintaining a sense of fairness between the two local government areas.
He also spoke about the senatorial ambition of Dr Shuaib Faisal, who hails from Toto LGA, saying the political development should be considered in discussions about the distribution of elective positions ahead of 2027.
According to Gali, the incumbent federal lawmaker, Hon. Abdulmumini Mohammed Ari, has spent eight years in the National Assembly, a factor he believes should inform conversations about the next representative of the constituency.
Speaking during a telephone interview with a Global Times Nigeria correspondent on Sunday evening, the APC chieftain said his political calculations went beyond individual ambition, stressing the importance of fairness, party cohesion and grassroots interests.
Gali also disclosed that he was working to bring young people and other aggrieved party members back into the APC fold ahead of the elections.
He expressed satisfaction with what he described as the growing acceptance of Yerima Albasheer Mohammed across the 12 wards and three districts of Toto LGA.
The APC chieftain said he believed Albasheer would provide quality representation if elected, adding that sustained engagement with grassroots stakeholders would be critical to the party’s success.
Gali expressed confidence in the APC’s electoral prospects but maintained that reconciliation and inclusive political participation would be necessary to secure a united front ahead of the 2027 polls.
He said his priority was to strengthen the party by encouraging cooperation among longstanding members and those who felt sidelined in its internal affairs