The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna State, Isa Ashiru, has announced former Kaduna State House of Assembly member, Irmiya Kantitok, as his running mate for the 2027 election.
The announcement comes barely a day after Mr Ashiru led efforts to reconcile rival factions within the Kaduna chapter of the ADC, ending months of internal leadership disputes and strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
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In a statement announcing the development, on Thursday, Mr Ashiru described Mr Kantitok as an experienced legal practitioner and politician with the competence and integrity required to help drive the party’s vision for Kaduna State.
“Today, I proudly announce Barrister Irmiya Ishaku Kantitok as my running mate for the 2027 gubernatorial race under our great party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
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“A battle-tested legal titan and former Kaduna State House of Assembly member for three terms representing Zonkwa Constituency, Barrister Ishaku Kantitok embodies the intellect, integrity and resilience Kaduna State deserves at this time of its development.
“Together, we will forge a united Kaduna State where the rule of law reigns, youth thrive, infrastructure booms and every zone rises. This is a ticket of experience, competence and vision for a greater and more prosperous Kaduna State,” he said.
Mr Kantitok represented Zonkwa Constituency in the state House of Assembly for three consecutive terms and is widely known in Southern Kaduna political circles as a lawyer and grassroots politician.
ADC consolidation ahead of 2027
The announcement follows the resolution of the lingering leadership crisis that had threatened the cohesion of the ADC in Kaduna State.
On Tuesday, Mr Ashiru presided over a reconciliation meeting involving leaders of the feuding factions, with party stakeholders pledging to work together ahead of the 2027 general election.
The reconciliation is expected to strengthen the opposition party as it prepares to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in one of Nigeria’s most politically strategic states.
APC yet to unveil deputy governorship candidate
While the ADC has now completed its governorship ticket, the ruling APC is yet to announce Governor Uba Sani’s running mate for the 2027 election.
Political observers in Kaduna have continued to speculate over the future of the incumbent deputy governor, Hadiza Balarabe, who is serving her second term in the position.
Her situation has brought up suggestions that the APC would reshuffle its ticket to reflect evolving political calculations.
Neither Governor Uba Sani nor the APC has indicated that Mrs Balarabe will be dropped, and the party has remained silent on the issue.
READ ALSO: Kaduna ADC Crisis: El-Rufai’s ally Salisu Lukman quits party
Mrs Balarabe was first nominated as deputy governorship candidate by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai for the 2019 election, when the APC fielded the controversial Muslim-Muslim ticket. The ticket won the election, and Governor Uba Sani retained her as his deputy after succeeding Mr El-Rufai in 2023.
With preparations for the 2027 election gathering momentum, political analysts say the APC faces important strategic decisions over whether to retain the current Muslim-Muslim ticket or adopt a different political and religious balance in response to changing electoral dynamics.
Background
Mr Ashiru, a former member of the House of Representatives and former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defected to the ADC ahead of the 2027 elections and subsequently emerged as the party’s governorship candidate.
His emergence, alongside the recent reconciliation of party factions and the announcement of a running mate, marks a significant step in the ADC’s efforts to position itself as a major challenger to the APC in Kaduna State.
The coming months are expected to see heightened political activity as major parties finalise their gubernatorial tickets and intensify campaigns ahead of the 2027 polls
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