With the array of prominent politicians that participated in the recently concluded primary elections for political parties, intrigues deployed and the level of suspense at every stage, the process has turned out to be one of the most keenly contested in recent times.

Observers said no less was expected in a race that a sitting president, a former vice president, sitting and former governors; ministers; senators; retired Inspectors-General of Police; House of Representatives and state assembly members and others participated.

Others who made the primary stand out include those who have been known to have consistently won elections in the past but lost; those who switched parties due to fear of losing but failed to make it, and those whose presence electrified the space with sheer razzmatazz but could not brace the tape.

Somehow, the process did not favour many who lost out despite their popularity, intimidating structures, closeness to the powers-that-be, huge investments, clout and expect.

Even after failing to make it beyond the primary however, people are still interested in knowing the direction their next political journeys would go, especially in the preparation for the general elections, which come up in January and February next year.

There are some of them like Mohammed Danjuma Goje, former governor of Gombe State, who has been a minister, two-term governor and five times in the Senate, whose loss in the primaries actually surprised many.

Given his clout and influence in the politics of Gombe State, many are wondering if the former governor would play active role in returning the presidential candidate of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), its governorship candidate in Gombe State, Jamilu Gwamna, who was single-handedly imposed by the governor, Inuwa Yahaya and others.

There is also the case of former Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, who reportedly committed so much in the bid to win the APC ticket for Nasarawa but lost the chance when the governor, Abdulahi Sule decided on Aliyu Wadada as a consensus candidate.

What role such prominent aspirants would be playing ahead of the general elections and subsequently.

Gombe: Pressure on Goje to join PDP

There is pressure on the former governor of Gombe State, Senator Muhammad Danjuma Goje, who lost in the APC senatorial primary, to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) next week to vie for a record fifth term at the National Assembly.

Goje has been representing the Gombe Central senatorial district since 2011 after his two terms as governor of the state.

However, after a direct primary election conducted by the APC in May, DCP Mohammed Ahmed (retd) was declared the duly elected candidate for the senatorial district seat.

Goje had in a statement issued through his special assistant, Ahmed Isa Kashere, disputed the outcome of the senatorial primary election, describing the result announced by Dr Dahiru as fake and saying the authentic results would be released in Abuja.

However, with his name not on the list of successful candidates of the National Assembly released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last Saturday, Goje was said to be considering a move to the PDP in order to retain his seat at the National Assembly.

Both the PDP and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) were said to be scouting for Goje. A source from Goje’s camp told our correspondent that the former governor would formally announce his decision soon.

He is said to have been offered the PDP ticket for Gombe Central, won by Aliyu Hammadu Abubakar (Kangiwan Gombe), who is said to have willingly agreed to step down for him.

Goje was among the founding fathers of the PDP in 1998. He served as minister of state for power and steel during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s first tenure. He subsequently served as a two-term governor of Gombe State on the party’s platform.

He joined the APC in 2014 and helped the party to wrest power from the PDP in 2019. However, the relationship between him and his political godson, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya went sour, which led to Goje’s defeat at the APC primary election last May.

Reports of Alkali lobbying for return to ministerial position

On his part, a former minister of transportation who resigned to contest the APC governorship ticket in Gombe, Senator Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, has kept his next political move since he lost the ticket of the party close to his chest.

However, there are reports that Alkali is lobbying to return to his former position as minister, a seat he resigned from in April.

He is said to be lobbying to return to the ministerial position through Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is his friend and was said to have played a vital role in his earlier nomination for the position.

Prior to the election, Alkali announced his withdrawal from the race, citing gross injustice, lack of internal democracy and violations of electoral laws.

Weekend Trust reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is yet to appoint a new minister of transportation since Alkali’s resignation last April.

Political observers said that in the event that Goje joins the PDP, he would alter the state political permutation and pose a great challenge to ruling the APC in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

Nasarawa: Ex-IGP Adamu now in SDP, governorship ambition still alive

There are indications that a former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu Abubakar, has not given up on pursuing his governorship ambition in 2027. He is reported to have defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) after he lost out in the primary election of the APC.

The Director-General of the Mohammed Adamu Abubakar Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation in Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Yammani, has confirmed that the former Inspector-General of Police has registered with the SDP and remains in the race for the 2027 governorship election.

Speaking in an interview in Lafia, Yammani said the registration was done in line with the provisions of the law, which now allows party registration online.

“The law states that you can join a party, even online. There is a platform of which you can join a party. Once you join a party, I don’t think it is even necessary for you to come out and see. Anybody that wants to know whether he has joined the SDP should Google and go to the SDP portal and see whether his name is there or not.

“As far as we are concerned, our principal is a card-carrying member of the SDP, which he did through the ambit of the law,” he said.

Asked about INEC already uploading candidates’ names on its portal, Yammani said the Electoral Act made provision for substitution of candidates after primaries in cases of death, resignation and other circumstances.

“There is an electoral law that stipulates how or when the candidate of a party will emerge. After the primaries, there is substitution in case of death, resignation and what have you. We are coming to that. It is not yet over,” he said.

Pressed further on whether Adamu could be substituted for the current SDP candidate, Yammani urged the public to “wait and see.”

He concluded by assuring supporters that Adamu’s ambition remains on course.

Kwara: Saliu Mustapha still consulting

With Speaker Yakubu Danladi Salihu emerging as the party’s governorship candidate and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s name now appearing as the APC candidate for the Kwara Central senatorial district, attention has shifted from the governorship contest to a new question. What next for Mustapha?

Mustapha was among the strongest aspirants in the governorship race.

Long before the primary, he had built a campaign across the state and many of his supporters believed his years of pursuing the governorship would finally pay off.

Even after Governor AbdulRazaq openly endorsed Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki, Mustapha remained in the race.

Within APC circles, there was widespread belief that leaders who lost the governorship ticket would be accommodated to keep the party united. Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq had even said the party would compensate those who contested with appointments.

In Mustapha’s case, many party members believed the easiest option was to allow him return to the Senate since he was already representing Kwara Central as a first timer. That expectation has now faded.

With INEC publishing Governor AbdulRazaq as the APC candidate for the Kwara Central Senate seat, the political calculations have changed completely.

The development means that if nothing changes before the election, Mustapha could leave office in 2027 without the governorship ticket he sought and without returning to the Senate.

That possibility has opened a fresh debate within the APC and among political observers.

The situation has also brought back discussions about the relationship between Mustapha and Governor AbdulRazaq.

Against that background, many observers now see the Senate ticket as more than an ordinary nomination.

To them, it is part of the wider struggle over political influence in Kwara APC after Governor AbdulRazaq leaves office in 2027.

Mustapha is not just another politician within the party, however, he and other members of the G15 have refused to accept the outcome of the governorship primary, insisting that the process is not over.

The group, made up of leading governorship aspirants and other party stakeholders, including Ambassador Yahaya Seriki, Senator Oloriegbe, Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa (BOB), among others, has maintained that the primary that produced Danladi did not reflect the agreement reached before the exercise.

The group has continued to demand that one of its members, which include Senator Mustapha, should emerge as the APC governorship candidate.

One of the group’s leaders, Salman Jawondo, recently told our correspondent that the struggle would continue until September 19, the deadline for the substitution of candidates.

Asked what the group would do if Danladi remained the candidate after that date, he said they would cross that bridge when they got there.

Reacting to the development, an aide of Senator Mustapha, Alabi Abdulkareem, told Weekend Trust that his principal’s decision would be guided by the collective direction of the G15 coalition and engagements with critical stand the outcome of consultations with his own political structure, supporters and associates across Kwara State.

“By the grace of God, regardless of the current developments within the Kwara APC, Senator Mustapha will continue to be a relevant force and an active participant in shaping the future of Kwara State.”

The president of the Nigerian Society of International Affairs (NSIA), Prof Hassan Ajisafe Saliu, said the political space was gradually closing for the senator and other members of the G15 to actualise their ambitions.

He, however, did not completely rule out last-minute political developments before the September 19 deadline for substitution of candidates.

According to him, many had expected the crisis within the Kwara APC to be resolved through political reconciliation, but recent developments suggest that such expectations may no longer be realistic.

The political scientist also said the options outside the APC appeared limited, noting that major opposition parties have already produced their candidates, making it difficult for any of the aggrieved aspirants to secure governorship or other tickets elsewhere.

Tuggar to remain in APC, support Tinubu

A former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has declared that he remains committed to the All Progressive Congress, its constitution and the rule of law, as well as a supporter of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

When contacted, his special adviser on media, Alkasim Abdulkadir, explained that Tuggar is a committed party loyalist and a bona fide founding member of the APC who has remained in the party since its inception. According to him, Tuggar has continued to be a steadfast supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration.

On the issue of the Bauchi State governorship primary, he said: “Tuggar maintains his position that no valid APC governorship primary election was conducted in the state. The so-called consensus was neither preceded by broad consultation nor based on the voluntary agreement of all aspirants and key stakeholders. It, therefore, cannot be regarded as a legitimate consensus under the principles of internal party democracy.”

Weekend Trust recalls that last month, a group of people who identified themselves as supporters of former Minister Tuggar, declared support for the APC governorship candidate in Bauchi State, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group, led by one of Tuggar’s coordinators, Musa Abdullahi, announced its decision during a press conference in Bauchi, saying the decision was taken to strengthen the APC’s chances of reclaiming power in Bauchi State in the 2027 governorship election.

The spokesman to Ambassador Tuggar, however, disowned the group, saying the claim of shifting allegiance to the Bauchi APC candidate is false and does not represent the position of the Tuggar Campaign Organisation.

Katsina: Mustapha Inuwa, Lawal Daura, Zangon Daura keep supporters guessing

The outcome of recent political developments in Katsina State has left several prominent politicians facing crucial decisions over their next political moves ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Among the major names whose political future has attracted attention are a former Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Mustapha Inuwa; former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Musa Daura, and Senator Nasiru Sani Zangon Daura.

Mustapha Inuwa

Mustapha Inuwa, a former SSG under the administrations of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua and former Governor Aminu Bello Masari, is widely regarded as one of the longest-serving in Katsina’s history.

In 2022, he contested the APC governorship primary against Dikko Umar Radda, who won with 506 votes, while Inuwa secured 442 votes. Following the primary, Inuwa left the APC and joined the PDP alongside a substantial number of his supporters.

By 2025, he had emerged as a prominent figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Katsina, becoming involved in consultations and mobilisation across the state’s 34 local government areas ahead of the 2027 elections.

However, in June 2026, Inuwa rejected the process through which Ahmed Babba Kaita emerged as ADC’s reported governorship candidate. He alleged that a valid primary had not been conducted and called for a fresh exercise.

The disagreement subsequently triggered political consultations involving Inuwa and several political figures, including former President Goodluck Jonathan. There have also been reports that the APC is lobbying Inuwa to return to the party. However, he has not publicly announced his resignation from the ADC.

Political observers therefore continue to place Inuwa among the opposition figures to watch as the 2027 elections approach.

Zangon Daura

Senator Nasiru Sani Zangon Daura, the serving senator representing the Daura district, is another major political figure whose future has attracted attention following the 2026 APC primaries.

The APC selected Nasir Yahya Daura, the Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly as its senatorial candidate for the district in the 2027 election, effectively ending Zangon Daura’s bid to return to the Senate on the party’s platform.

Zangon Daura has remained largely silent since the outcome of the primary, leaving questions over whether he would remain in the APC or explore other political options.

Taraba and Nyame

Watchers of political events in Taraba said it’s very difficult to say exactly the political party the former state governor, The Rev Jolly Nyame belongs to.

Initially, he was said to be a member of the APC and wanted to contest for the Taraba North senatorial seat but later dropped the idea and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party.

Our correspondent reports that Nyame is a strong supporter of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and also supports Governor Agbu Kefas. However, at the same time he supports Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, who is contesting for the governorship of Taraba State on the platform of the PDP.

Senator Bwacha is a former commissioner for agriculture under the Jolly Nyame administration.

Delta: Ned Nwoko’s matter still before court

Senator Ned Nwoko currently represents the Delta North senatorial district at the National Assembly.

He won the senatorial seat on the platform of the PDP but later left the party and joined the APC, under which he serves.

Senator Nwoko, however, sought to retain his seat in the Senate by contesting for the APC ticket but was challenged in the APC primary by a former Delta State governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, who recently joined the party. He has the full backing of the Delta State governor, Sherrif Oboreiwore.

At the end, Dr Okowa defeated Senator Nwoko, who polled 2,612.

After the primary, Nwoko rejected the outcome, alleging irregularities in the exercise and pursuing an appeal within the party structure.

He alleged that the primary was manipulated in favour of former Governor Okowa by the party leadership in the state.

However, the APC leadership retained Okowa as the party’s candidate and forwarded his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Against that background, observers believe the option left for Senator Nwoko is either to leave the APC or support the party and its candidate for the 2027 elections.

When contacted, an aide to the senator, Dr Michael Nwoko, said that since his principal’s case was before the court, it would be sub-judice to comment on it.

A political observer who gave his name as Justin said Senator Nwoko would not quit the party as his case is before the court challenging the outcome of the primary.

A human rights activist, Comrade Israel Joe, noted that Nwoko had so far shown no sign of either leaving the APC or openly supporting the party’s candidate.

“For now, no one knows the senator’s next move, but he is definitely not supporting Okowa,” he said.

According to him, it would amount to a political miscalculation for Nwoko to leave the APC and play the role of an opposition figure in the state at this time.

Efforts to reach the senator to find out what he set to do after the primary were not successful.

Rivers: Fubara back to supporting Wike, Chinda

After withdrawing from the APC primaries in Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has not revealed his next interest after the 2027 general elections. But he has since declared his support to President Bola Tinubu and the state’s governorship candidate of the party, Kingsley Ogundu Chinda.

However, some sources close to the governor confided that he is being considered for an ambassadorial position to a first class country if President Bola Tinubu wins re-election.

Fubara was unable to produce the party’s candidates for any of the elective position in the state. It was the Rainbow Coalition championed by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike that produced APC candidates at all levels in the state.

Based on Governor Fubara’s directive, most of his key supporters, including a former chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government, Chijioke Ihunwo, have already declared their intensions to return to the Rainbow Coalition.

About two weeks ago, Governor Fubara made his position to support all the candidates of the Rainbow Coalition known, saying the hitherto contending political forces in the state had resolved their differences and agreed to work together in the interest of the peace and development of the state.