- By Mallam Bala Rayanu
As the political air in Nasarawa State thickens with the approach of the 2027 governorship election, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) finds itself at a critical crossroads.
With over 40 aspirants indicating interest to fly the party’s flag, the task of choosing a candidate who can secure victory and deliver good governance is paramount.
A careful look across this wide field shows that one man stands not just on the strength of proposed zoning arrangements but on a mountain of proven service, deep connection with the people, and tangible achievements.
That man is none other than Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu, the distinguished Senator representing Nasarawa West.
Senator Wadada is not a new name in the political terrain of Nasarawa State. His journey is one of dedication, a long walk with the people that did not start with the upcoming election.
For decades, whether in office or out of it, Wadada has made himself available to the people. His life has been devoted to service, a stark contrast to many who only remember the people when election season draws near.
He is not an opportunist seeking something from the people; he is a servant who has consistently given his all to them. This faithfulness has earned him a mass followership across the state, cutting across tribe, religion, and even political party lines.
His political successes tell the story: two terms in the House of Representatives, a strong second-place finish in the 2019 APC governorship primaries, and a victorious senatorial campaign in 2023 under the SDP, which he joined barely months to the election.
This victory, against the tide, is a clear confirmation of his grassroots appeal and acceptability.
The other aspirants in the APC are good and capable individuals who love the state. However, when it comes to preparation, consistency, and a proven record of uplifting the people, Senator Wadada is in a class of his own.
His entire political career is a testament to service delivery. While others may point to plans, Wadada points to countless interventions that have touched lives directly. His performance in the Senate within a short time is a clear example of a leader who hits the ground running.
Since assuming office in June 2023, Senator Wadada has been a voice and an action point for Nasarawa West and the entire state. He has sponsored and supported bills aimed at national development and specific benefits for his constituency.
These include bills to upgrade the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa to a Federal University of Mining, Engineering and Technology, to create a School of Fishery and Aquatic Sciences in Umaisha, and to upgrade the Nasarawa State Specialist Hospital Lafia to a University Teaching Hospital.
Senator Wadada used his influence with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to facilitate the construction of the 118km Keffi-Nasarawa-Toto Road, a major inter-state corridor linking Nasarawa and the FCT, supporting regional logistics and Nasarawa ’s growing lithium industry.
He moved motions for the construction of a flyover at the Total Roundabout in Keffi and for the placement of the proposed North Central Development Commission in Lafia. These are strategic moves for infrastructural and educational growth.
But where Senator Wadada truly stands apart is in his transformative touch on the lives of ordinary people. His empowerment programmes are legendary across the five local government areas of Nasarawa West.
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He has distributed thousands of sewing machines, grinding machines, welding machines, and vulcanizing machines to youths and women. He has given out farm harvesters, irrigation pumps, seedlings, herbicides, and pesticides to farmers to boost agriculture.
His palliative support has been massive and consistent, with the distribution of tens of thousands of bags of rice during Eid-Fitr, Eid-Kabir, and Christmas celebrations in 2023, 2024, and 2025, reaching every ward and group imaginable.
His commitment to education is profound. He spent millions to register hundreds of students for WAEC and NABTEB exams. He has constructed and renovated classroom blocks, headmasters’ offices, and exam halls across numerous schools in Keffi, Karu, Kokona, Nasarawa, and Toto Local Government Areas.
He has donated computers, furniture, and cash to educational institutions, including Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
In the health sector, his impact is life-saving. He built and equipped modern Primary Healthcare Centres in communities like Ittah, Aisa, Loko, and Ajuye. He distributed hospital beds, mattresses, incubators, oxygen concentrators, wheelchairs, sterilizers, and other critical medical equipment to General Hospitals in Keffi, Karu, Garaku, Nasarawa, Toto, Gadabuke, and Umaisha.
He also organised free medical outreach programmes where over 700 and 800 people benefited in single events, receiving treatments, eye screenings, glasses, and minor surgeries.
Infrastructure development under his watch is visible. He has sunk over a hundred motorized solar and hand-pump boreholes across communities, ending water scarcity.
He installed solar street lights along major roads and streets, enhancing security and night-time economic activities.
He facilitated the rehabilitation of key roads like the Keffi-Gunduma-Gitata-Kwoi road and constructed bridges, such as the one in Laminga and another in Karshi Jeje, to connect communities.
Perhaps one of his most celebrated interventions is in job creation. Senator Wadada has directly facilitated the employment of over 122 indigenes into various federal and state agencies.
The list includes the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the National Assembly Service Commission, and many others. This direct impact on livelihoods is unmatched.
Furthermore, his personal philanthropy through his Keffi Polo Ranch platform and countless donations to communities for transformer repairs, mosque and church projects, market associations, and victims of fire disasters, floods, and communal crises shows a heart that beats for the people beyond politics.
Senator Wadada is also a loyal party man and a unifier. He was the Chairman of Governor Abdullahi Sule’s Campaign Council in 2019. Even when he contested for the Senate under the SDP in 2023, he openly campaigned for Governor Sule and President Tinubu.
Most significantly, he has the political muscle and connections to influence decisions for the good of Nasarawa State.
The message to the APC is clear. If the party is truly keen on winning the 2027 governorship election in Nasarawa State, then it must look towards its most prepared, most connected, and most accomplished aspirant.
The party should reward loyalty, dedication, and proven capacity.
Senator Wadada has paid his dues politically and otherwise. He is already in sync with the people, understanding their needs and expectations because he has been living with them and serving them.
To ignore this reservoir of goodwill and competence is to take a great risk.
Indeed, the time has come for the APC to be fair to Senator Wadada. In doing so, the party will be fair to itself and, most importantly, to the good people of Nasarawa State who yearn for a leader that truly knows the way, has walked the way, and is ready to show the way.
Rayanu is a member of the media and strategy team for Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu 2027
