Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Beneath the public squabbling over Governor Abdullahi Sule's endorsement of Senator Ahmed Wadada for the 2027 governorship election, a far more dangerous development is unfolding in Nasarawa State. Loyal members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), some of whom have been with the party since its formation in 2013, are quietly vowing to work against the party's candidates in the next general election. This silent rebellion threatens to hand the state to the opposition in 2027. According to multiple sources within the party who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal, the decision to sabotage the party is not a spontaneous reaction but a carefully considered response to what they describe as "years of neglect and final betrayal" by Governor Sule.
"We have built this party from nothing. We slept in the bush during elections, we defended the party with our blood, and we delivered victory when the big names were hiding abroad," said a ward chairman from Lafia Local Government Area who has served the APC since 2014. "And now, Governor Sule wants to hand over the state to a man who just joined us two years ago? A man who was still in PDP when we were fighting to keep power in Nasarawa? It is an insult. We will not accept it." The ward chairman is one of dozens of grassroots leaders who have reportedly agreed to a pact: they will not openly confront the governor or Senator Wadada, but when the ballots are cast in 2027, they will ensure that their units and wards vote for any candidate except the APC.
The planned sabotage is not driven by personal ambition but by a deep sense of betrayal. Many of these loyalists had expected that after years of service, the party would reward them with a candidate who shares their struggles and understands their sacrifices. Instead, Governor Sule has thrown his weight behind Senator Wadada, a man who defected from the PDP only in 2022 and whose political base is in Keffi, not across the entire state. The loyalists argue that Wadada has not paid his dues within the APC and that his emergence would set a dangerous precedent: that loyalty to the party counts for nothing, while proximity to power and money guarantees everything.
The rebellion has been kept largely secret because the loyalists fear immediate repercussions, including dismissal from their appointed positions. Governor Sule has reportedly threatened to sack local government chairmen, councillors, and aides who do not align with his preferred candidate. This atmosphere of fear has driven the dissent underground. However, the loyalists have found ways to communicate. They use encrypted messaging apps and hold meetings in private homes, far from the prying eyes of party enforcers. One of the key figures in this underground movement is a former local government chairman from the southern senatorial district, who told this reporter: "We are not stupid. We know that if we speak openly, we will be removed. So we will smile and clap at the rallies. But on election day, our people will vote with their conscience. Governor Sule will be shocked."
The potential impact of this silent rebellion cannot be overstated. Nasarawa State has a history of closely contested elections. In 2023, Governor Sule won re-election by a margin of fewer than 50,000 votes. If even a fraction of the party's grassroots machinery turns against the APC, the opposition could easily capture the state. The People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are already watching the crisis with keen interest, hoping to exploit the division. Some PDP leaders have reportedly reached out to disgruntled APC loyalists, offering them safe passage and positions in a future PDP administration.
Governor Sule and Senator Wadada appear unaware of the depth of the rebellion. In public, they continue to project an image of unity. At the compulsory "homecoming" rally for Wadada held on Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Keffi, thousands of party members attended, but several ward chairmen from the southern and central zones were conspicuously absent. When asked, their excuses ranged from "illness" to "transportation issues." But sources confirm that their absence was deliberate. "We stayed away to send a message," one of the absent chairmen said. "The governor needs to know that he cannot take our loyalty for granted."
The Nasarawa APC Integrity Forum, which has been critical of Governor Sule's endorsement, has also hinted at the brewing rebellion. In a recent statement, the forum warned that "any attempt to impose a candidate will lead to a mass exodus of party members." However, the forum has stopped short of endorsing sabotage, instead calling for direct primaries. But at the grassroots level, the mood is more militant. Some loyalists have even begun exploring legal options to challenge the endorsement, citing the Electoral Act 2026, which requires consensus to be voluntary and in writing.
The clock is ticking. The APC primaries are scheduled for late May 2026, and if Governor Sule insists on imposing Wadada without a proper contest, the party could face a full-blown revolt. The loyalists are not asking for much, they say. They simply want a candidate who has earned the right to fly the party's flag through years of service and sacrifice. "We are not against Senator Wadada as a person," the ward chairman from Lafia explained. "We are against the principle. If he wins a free and fair primary, we will support him. But if he is imposed, we will show them that the people, not the governor, decide who wins elections in Nasarawa State." That warning, delivered quietly in a small room far from the cameras, is the real story of Nasarawa's political crisis. And no one is reporting it.
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