2027: Biggest Winners of Parties’ Primary Elections
By Haruna Gimba
The primary elections conducted by major political parties across Nigeria over the last two weeks have produced a mix of results with far-reaching political implications.
The exercise, which is the first phase ahead of the general elections, was marked by the surprising emergence of new and old faces that may reshape the polity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Some known names on the political stage tightened their grip on power by securing return tickets to the respective offices they currently hold; for some lawmakers, it is for third or fourth terms, and for some, even a record fifth term, in the National Assembly.
From heavyweight and hitherto influential politicians to first-time entrants, the victory was mostly engineered by state governors and other powerful politicians. Nevertheless, primaries delivered winners and casualties, a development that surprises many.
ATIKU ABUBAKAR
Arguably, the biggest winner in the primary election could be said to be former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who emerged as the Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). It will be the fourth time the former vice president is clinching the ticket of a major political party. He was the presidential candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2007, and also the presidential flag-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 and 2023 general elections.
However, he lost all the previous contests during general elections to former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua in 2007 and Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, as well as the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023.
Only time will reveal if the former number two citizen will be lucky in what he described as his last attempt to take a shot at the presidency.
BOLA AHMED TINIBU
Five days before Atiku’s emergence as ADC’s candidate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerged as one of the biggest winners after securing the ticket to return to the Aso Presidential Villa on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for a second term in office, if he emerges victorious in next year’s election.
He scored 10.99 million votes in the direct primary election conducted across the 36 states and Abuja, to defeat his only challenger, Stanley Osifo, who polled 16,504 votes. The almost unchallenged primary election reinforced the president’s firm grip on the ruling APC and further stabilised his leadership position within the party.
YUSUF BUHARI
A relatively unknown personality, who joined the league of symbolic wins, was Yusuf Buhari, son of the late President Muhammadu Buhari. Yusuf was not known to be a vocal person throughout the eighth year of his father’s administration. However, despite being a first timer in the political scene, he was able to clinch the APC’s ticket to represent the people of Daura/Sandamu/Mai’adua Federal Constituency of Katsina State, thanks to backing by Governor Dikko Umaru Radda.
KINGSLY CHINDA – RIVERS
Kingsley Ogundu Chinda is currently representing Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives. He surprised onlookers when, on May 21st, he emerged as the Rivers state governorship flagbearer of the APC, after Governor Siminalayi Fubara surprisingly withdrew from the contest.
Chinda was believed to be backed by a former governor of the state and the current Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, who fell out with Governor Fubara over irreconcilable differences.
OBAFEMI HAMZAT – LAGOS
Obafemi Hamzat is the current Deputy Governor of Lagos State. He emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Lagos State after he was endorsed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and later ratified by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This is the first time since the return of democracy in 1999 that a sitting Lagos State governor would endorse his deputy to succeed him in office.
JAMILU ISYAKU GWAMNA – GOMBE
Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna served as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO). Prior to that, he served as the Executive Chairman of the Gombe State Water Board.
He was the governorship candidate of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) in 2007 and was defeated by former Governor Muhammad Danjuma Goje of the PDP.
Before joining the rejoining All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022, Jamilu Gwamna was a member of the PDP, where he contested the PDP governorship primaries in 2022 but lost to Muhammad Jibrin Dan Barde, who was subsequently defeated by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya. Following that defeat, he decamped to the APC, under whose platform he emerged as the governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
ISA ALI PANTAMI – GOMBE
Prof. Isa Ali Pantami came to national limelight in 2016, when he was appointed by late President Muhammadu Buhari as the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). The Islamic cleric cum politician was later appointed as the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy. He was defeated by Jamilu Gwamna during the APC’s primary election, but he later defected to the PDP and clinched the party’s ticket.
AHMED ALIYU WADADA – NASARAWA
Ahmed Aliyu Wadada is the senator representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly. He was previosly a member of the House of Representatives. He defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 2022, after he failed to clinch the APC’s ticket.
However, he was anointed by Governor Abdullahi Sule as the APC’s consensus candidate and later defeated former Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to emerge as the candidate of the party for the 2027 general elections.
SOLOMON OLAMILEKAN ADEOLA (YAYI) – OGUN
Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. He previously served as a Senator from Lagos West from 2015 to 2023. From 2011 to 2015, he was the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts.
He emerged as the governorship candidate of the APC for Ogun State for the 2027 general elections, after he was backed by Governor Dapo Abiodun.
ABUBAKAR MALAMI – KEBBI
Abubakar Malami was the Attorney General and Minister of Justice during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. He came to prominence as the National Legal Adviser of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and also played a major role in the formation of the APC in 2013.
Malami, who was one of the powerful ministers during late Buhari’s administration, defected to the ADC and emerged as its gubernatorial candidate to challenge Governor Nasir Idris Gwandu of the ruling APC.
BABA MALLAM WALI – YOBE
Baba Mallam Wali, popularly known as BMW, is the longest serving Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Yobe State. He served under both Governors Ibrahim Gaidam and Mai Mala Buni administrations. He was earlier picked as the APC’s consensus candidate and later defeated six other aspirants to emerge as the party’s gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 general elections.
His selection as the party’s consensus candidate was earlier rejected by other prominent aspirants, including Senator Ibrahim Mohammed Bomoi, Ex-IGP Usman Baba Alkali, and former Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan. However, the trio later withdrew and declared their support for the BMW.
AHMED TIJJANI GALADIMA – ADAMAWA
Ahmed Tijjani Galadima resigned as the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in April 2026 to contest for the governorship primary election in Adamawa State. Galadima’s surprise victory follows the withdrawal of several aspirants who later endorsed him. Including Mustapha Salihu, former Vice National Chairman of APC (North-East), who was said to have been earlier backed by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu.
Galadima defeated a former member of the House of Representatives, Abdulrazak Namdas, and Abdulrahman Haske, who came second and third, respectively.
MUSTAPHA GUBIO – BORNO
Engr. Mustapha Gubio, a former Commissioner of Works and Housing, emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of the APC in Borno State after he was previously endorsed by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum. The governor surprised many when he overlooked Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, who was believed to be backed by Vice President Kashim Shettima, and many prominent aspirants, and settled on Gubio.
Gubio is poised to become the eighth democratically elected governor of Borno State in 2027, as the state is a “one party state,” where the ‘same’ political party won all the previous governoship elections since the return to demcratic rule in 1999.
SHEHU SANI
The emergence of Senator Shehu Sani as the Senatorial Candidate for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District of Kaduna State caught many by surprise. The comrade cum politician represented the district in the eighth assembly, but after he fell out with former Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, he was replaced in 2019 by Senator Uba Sani, who later became the governor of the state.
As the political permutations changed, and Uba Sani had fallen out with his longtime mentor, Shehu Sani, who is a fierce critic of El-Rufai was offered the ticket to represent the district in the 2017 general elections.
MA ABUBAKAR – BAUCHI
The surprise return of Muhammad Abdullahi Abubakar could be among the greatest winners of the just-concluded primary elections. He previously served as governor of the state between 2015 and 2019. He was defeated by Governor Bala Muhammad in 2019. However, he was said to be backed by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, to stage a comeback and defeat high-profile personalities to clinch the APC’s ticket for the 2027 general elections.
AMINU ABDUSSALAM GWARZO – KANO
Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kano State. He resigned as the deputy governor of the state after an impeachment process was started against him, following his refusal to join Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf when he defected to the APC.
Gwarzo edged out another deputy governor of the state, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, to emerge as the gubernatorial candidate to challenge his former boss in the 2027 general elections, in what is expected to be an epic battle between Governor Yusuf and the Kwankwasiyya movement.
As the 2027 general elections approach, the emergence of some of the candidates from the various political parties indicates that the forthcoming elections could be very interesting and may unleash a lot of surprises.
