2027: Jigawa PDP signals more candidate changes as party courts defections

By Musa Baba Adamu with agency report

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jigawa State has opened the door to further changes to its list of candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections, as the opposition party intensifies efforts to strengthen its political structure and attract influential figures.

The party’s governorship candidate, Mustapha Sule Lamido, disclosed this during the Jigawa South-West senatorial stakeholders’ meeting and the formal unveiling of former Inspector-General of Police Suleiman Abba as the party’s new candidate for the senatorial district.

Lamido said the party was still holding discussions with prominent politicians who could join its ranks, adding that some of the expected entrants could ultimately take over existing candidacies as part of the party’s broader strategy for the 2027 elections.

“PDP is still expanding its hands to reach more politicians to make the party stronger to ensure its victory in the 2027 election,” he said.

The development indicates that the PDP is treating its current candidate list as potentially subject to further political negotiations, particularly as the party seeks to consolidate its position ahead of what is expected to be a competitive election.

Lamido stressed that a candidate being replaced should not be interpreted as a rejection of that politician or an indication that the individual had become irrelevant to the party.

Rather, he said, the objective was to deploy the available political positions and structures in a way that would maximize the party’s chances of winning the election.

“It is not only about the candidature; there are many ways one can contribute to the party. We assure you that whoever supports the party will be recognized and rewarded,” he said.

The Jigawa PDP chairman, Babandi Ibrahim Gimel, also confirmed that the party had room to make further adjustments within the period allowed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to him, although the party has already conducted its primary elections, the electoral timetable provides an additional window for the replacement of candidates.

Jigawa PDP has already demonstrated its willingness to reshuffle its candidates.

Gimel disclosed that Aminu Wada Abubakar, who initially emerged as the PDP candidate for the Jigawa South-West Senatorial District, has been replaced by former IGP Suleiman Abba.

Wada Abubakar, however, has not been dropped from the electoral contest altogether. He has instead been moved to the PDP ticket for the Dutse/Kiyawa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

The move illustrates the party’s emerging strategy of reallocating political positions as it seeks to accommodate influential politicians while retaining candidates it considers useful to its electoral ambitions.

“We are still searching for more candidates, and we are hopeful that we will get them,” the state chairman said.

The latest development points to an increasingly fluid political landscape in Jigawa ahead of 2027, with parties expected to continue negotiating alliances, defections and candidate positions as they attempt to build winning coalitions.

For the PDP, the willingness to alter its ticket could give the party greater flexibility in attracting heavyweight politicians. At the same time, it could generate internal competition and require careful management of candidates who may have expected to retain their original positions.