*Fears of ‘settlers” political domination too
By Silas Damisa
Fears that Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state may have settled for the senator representing Nasarawa West district in the Senate, Aliyu Wadada, as successor, may have forced the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) guber candidate in 2023, Hon. David Ombugadu, rethink his recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), and rejoin the PDP, The Authority can authoritatively reveal.
A two-term member of the House of Representatives on the PDP platform, Ombugadu was in 2019 and 2023 locked in a tight race against Governor Sule. On both occasions, he lost to the APC candidate in controversial circumstances.
The Authority gathered that, recently, some supporters of President Bola Tinubu, banking on riding on the crest of Ombugadu’s cult following in the state, prevailed on the 48-year-old politician to declare for the APC. He was reportedly promised the support of the APC national leadership.
In 2023, Tinubu lost Nasarawa state to Mr. Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP), a scenario some supporters of the President believe can be reversed should Ombugadu become the APC candidate.
Aside Ombugadu’s perceived popularity, another calculation of those backing the former House member, The Authority checks revealed, was the realization that since 1999, no Christian has been governor of Nasarawa, a state many believe has a large Christian population.
Sources close to the Government House, Lafia, told The Authority that those who promised Ombugadu support failed to consider the political commitment of Governor Sule.
“They forgot that Governor Sule, like all governors serving out their second and final terms in office, may have other commitments. In fact, they didn’t reckon with the fact that the governor long ago decided to back Senator Wadada, as successor,” a close aide of the governor disclosed.
According to APC national secretariat sources, no sooner had Ombugadu declared for APC weeks ago, than the state APC chapter began showing him and his supporters the cold shoulder.
“To the shock of many, the state APC exco led by Dr. Aliyu Bello, apparently acting at the behest of some interest groups in the state,, began to block Ombugadu’s supporters from basic things as party registration.
“Ombugadu didn’t need to be told that he and his supporters weren’t welcome, in APC” offered a party official.
The relationship between Governor Sule and Wadada before the 2023 general elections has strained. This resulted in the latter defecting to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) where he floored the governor’s appointed, the APC candidate, Alhaji Shehu Ahmed Tukur,” added the source.
In September 2025, however, following series of meetings and agreements between the senator and Governor Sule, Wadada rejoined APC.
Another APC source told The Authority that the party is saddened by Ombugadu’s return to the PDP, lamenting that Governor Sule’s acrimony towards his former PDP rival could have negative consequences for the APC and President Tinubu in the next general elections in the state.
“Look at what happened in neighbouring Plateau State where, even though former political rivals, our national chairman Professor Nentawe Goshwe, literally held the door open for Governor Mutfwang to enter the APC family in Plateau State.
“Look at what just happened in Zamfara Stare where the Minister of State for Defence and former governor, Bello Matawalle, heartily welcomed Governor Dauda Lawal into the APC fold. Our national chairman and the Minister of State for Defence put President Tinubu’s interest first.
“Imagine having Ombugadu as our guber flag bear next year. Sadly, we lost this golden opportunity to shored up support for President Tinubu, no thanks to the selfishness of one man,” lamented the APC official.
The Authority also gathered that there is a groundswell of opposition by those who consider themselves the aborigines of Nasarawa state to their perceived political dominance by those they call “settlers”.
Noted one Gbagyi teacher, “We campaigned against Apartheid in South Africa. Yet, here in Nasarawa state, we have the worst form of Apartheid, where the Aborigines aren’t considered good enough to be governors.
“The late General Sani Abacha began this trend when, out of sheer sentiments, he decided against reason and logic to cite the capital of Nasarawa state in Lafia, instead of Akwanga, Keffi or Karu. The result is that, 30 years after becoming the state’s capital Lafia still looks like a glorified village, struggling to catch up with Karu.
“Let’s talk about leadership. The current governor, A. A. Sule, is from Yobe State, in the Northeast. He was imposed on us by one Kano billionaire. After eight years, the same people who imposed Sule on us have gone to far-away Sokoto State to get a candidate they plan to impose on us, telling us to our faces that we don’t have good-enough people to be governor of our dear Nasarawa State! We shall resist this. This injustice has got to stop,” he declared.
However, a close political associate of Governor Sule absolved his friend of allegations of frustrating Ombugadu’s to join the APC.
“This is the era of politics, so one shouldn’t be surprised at whatever your political opponents throw at you. Governor Sule is serving out his term, so why would he want to block anybody who wants to join APC or any other party for that matter from joining?
“Governor Sule believes that power comes from God, so whatever efforts rtd we make is immaterial. It is a free world. Anybody is free to have whatever aspirations they choose to have. They should leave His Excellency out of their frustrations,” he declared
