The Niger State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has formally settled on Alhaji Yahaya Mohammed Adam Guregi as its governorship candidate for the 2027 election, following a substitution primary conducted in Minna on Tuesday.
The development ends an internal disagreement over the party’s governorship ticket and marks the beginning of the NDC’s preparations for the 2027 governorship contest in the state. Independent Newspaper and other reports published on September 15–16 also identified Guregi as the party’s newly settled candidate.
Speaking after his emergence, Guregi said his immediate focus would be on commencing consultations and preparations for the election, including announcing his running mate and presenting his policy priorities to the people of Niger State.
He identified insecurity as the most pressing challenge facing the state, arguing that persistent insecurity affects economic activity, investment and broader development.
“Security will be number one among the problems we intend to address if given the opportunity to govern the state,” Guregi said.
He also criticised aspects of the performance of the incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, particularly in the areas of security and road infrastructure.
On road projects, Guregi questioned the pace of completion of ongoing projects across the state. He specifically claimed that none of the roads currently under construction in Niger State extends to 150 kilometres and argued that residents should assess government projects based on completed work rather than ongoing construction.
The claim about road lengths and the assessment of individual projects could not be independently established from the information available for this report and is therefore presented as Guregi’s assertion.
Guregi also contrasted his age with those of other governorship aspirants, saying he was the youngest among the major contenders. He argued that age should not be equated with wisdom or capacity, stressing that experience and ability should also be considered.
Meanwhile, Dr. Sidi Abdul Bomi Gulu, identified in the interview as the National Chairman of the NDC, said the party had resolved the issues surrounding its Niger State governorship ticket through a step-by-step process.
According to him, the party had reached an agreement on the outstanding issues and could now proceed with political activities ahead of the election.
“With the matter resolved, we are now ready to begin the work ahead,” he said.
Bomi confirmed Yahaya Mohammed Guregi as the party’s governorship candidate and said the NDC would now focus on strengthening its campaign structure.
The emergence of Guregi follows reports of disagreement involving Alhaji Usman Idris Makanta, popularly known as “Shinkafan Nupe,” who had also been associated with the party’s governorship ticket. Reports said the NDC conducted a substitution primary in Minna through a three-member national committee chaired by the party’s South-South Vice Chairman, Barrister Fredrick Owotorufa.
According to the reports, Guregi emerged as the sole candidate in the substitution process and was subsequently declared the party’s candidate in line with the party’s guidelines.
The development is also significant because the NDC had earlier publicly listed Abdu Sidi Bomi as its Niger State governorship candidate in a September 5 statement concerning its candidates for the 2027 elections. The subsequent substitution process indicates that the party’s Niger ticket has since undergone a change.
The NDC’s newly selected candidate said the next stage would involve wider consultations, the selection of a running mate and the presentation of his programmes to the electorate.
The 2027 governorship election is part of the next general election cycle. INEC has published its timetable for the 2027 elections, with governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for February 6, 2027, subject to any subsequent official changes.
The NDC leadership has urged its members and supporters to remain united, engage in consultations and work toward strengthening the party ahead of the election.
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