Former Senator Shehu Sani
Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna Central Senatorial District, including all seven local government chairmen in the zone, have endorsed former Senator Shehu Sani as their preferred candidate for the 2027 Senate election.
The endorsement was announced at a stakeholders’ meeting in Kaduna, where the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sadiq Mamman Lagos, said the decision reflected a unified position of party leaders across the district.
“We are here to endorse a candidate for the election coming up in January 2027. This is not an individual decision but that of major stakeholders, including elected local government chairmen and party executives in Kaduna Central,” he said.
Mamman Lagos clarified that the endorsement does not rule out the conduct of party primaries, noting that due process would still be followed.
“We have not said there will be no primaries, but stakeholders have identified a credible and popular candidate who can win the election for the APC,” he added, stressing that Sani’s track record informed the decision.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, urged party members to close ranks and support the endorsement, noting that synergy between Sani and Governor Uba Sani would accelerate development across the state.
“With Governor Uba Sani in office, and if Shehu Sani emerges as senator, there will be faster and more coordinated development in Kaduna State,” he said.
The seven local government chairmen from Chikun, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Igabi, Birnin Gwari, Ikara and Kajuru also threw their weight behind the former lawmaker, citing his long-standing pro-democracy credentials.
They recalled his activism dating back to the 1980s, including multiple arrests and detention during the struggle for democracy, describing him as a committed advocate for the people.
Responding, Shehu Sani expressed appreciation for the endorsement, describing it as both an honour and a call to greater responsibility.
“I thank all the stakeholders and party leaders for this endorsement. It is a challenge, a prayer, and an appreciation of what we have done in the past, as well as an appeal for what we should do in the future,” he said.
He, however, maintained that the endorsement does not foreclose internal democracy within the party.
“Any party member who is not satisfied with this endorsement is free to contest the primaries. I am open to a fair contest,” he stated.
Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District between 2015 and 2019, expressed confidence about his chances in the 2027 polls.
“By the grace of Allah, I will be back in 2027,” he said.
He also pledged improved performance if elected, pointing to projects executed during his previous tenure, including interventions in healthcare, education and social welfare.
“Despite challenges during my first tenure, we were able to impact lives. With the current atmosphere of cooperation, we will do even more for our people,” he added.
Sani further described Kaduna Central as the most populous senatorial zone in the state and expressed optimism that the district would deliver massive support for the APC in the 2027 general elections.
