Internal Power Struggle Threatens Nasarawa APC Unity Ahead of 2027 Gubernatorial Contest

Governor Sule’s plan to zone the 2027 governorship ticket triggers a power struggle within the Nasarawa APC as factions demand direct primaries.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 7, 2026, 4:09 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from LEADERSHIP

The Emerging Friction Within a Dominant Party

The All Progressives Congress in Nasarawa State is currently navigating an internal crisis that observers suggest could be more damaging than any external opposition. While the party appears invincible on the surface following the return of key opposition figures to the fold, a quiet storm is gathering over the succession race for 2027. According to political commentator Sanusi M. Zakari, the real contest for the state’s future is no longer being fought across party lines but within the internal structures of the APC itself.

Governor Sule’s Record and the Zoning Mandate

Governor Abdullahi Sule’s administration has been defined by infrastructure delivery, private investment attraction, and milestones in the solid minerals sector. The governor has attributed these successes to fiscal reforms and improved revenue management. However, as his tenure progresses, the focus has shifted to his prerogative in determining a successor. Sule has formally announced his preference for zoning the governorship ticket to the Nasarawa West Senatorial District, a move intended to maintain an informal rotation agreement between the state’s three zones.

Ambition and the Rejection of Traditional Rotation

The zoning proposal has met immediate and fierce resistance from a faction within the party that argues merit and competence should override geographic rotation. Critics of this dissent suggest that the argument for merit is a tactical maneuver by those whose personal ambitions do not align with the zoning formula. This internal friction was previously glimpsed during a failed attempt to suspend the state APC chairman, Dr. Aliyu Bello, an event now viewed as a symptom of deeper efforts to rearrange the party’s internal order against the governor’s direction.