PDP Names Niger Governorship Candidate for 2027 Election

Mohammed Nami has emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2027 governorship election in Niger State after other aspirants stepped aside and backed his candidacy.

The Niger State PDP chairman, Aliyu Halidu, confirmed Nami’s emergence and said the decision followed consultations among the aspirants and party stakeholders.

Halidu described Nami as a politician with the character and experience required to lead the state.

He said the decision by the other aspirants to withdraw from the contest showed their confidence in Nami’s capacity to represent the party in the election.

According to him, the aspirants would have continued with their individual ambitions if they were not convinced that Nami could provide the leadership required to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The chairman said Nami understands his strengths and has the experience and skills needed to provide purposeful leadership to Niger State.

He added that the agreement among the aspirants would help the PDP avoid a divisive primary and allow the party to concentrate on rebuilding its structures ahead of the 2027 election.

Halidu expressed confidence that the party could regain the support of voters across Niger State.

He said his engagements with residents and communities showed that the PDP still had a significant base in the state despite its years in opposition.

The chairman said the party would now focus on strengthening its structures at the grassroots and reconnecting with voters ahead of the election.

He maintained that the unity displayed by the aspirants would be important to the party’s campaign.

The PDP has a long political history in Niger State. The party controlled the state from 1999 to 2015.

Abdulkadir Kure served as governor between 1999 and 2007 before Babangida Aliyu took over and governed until 2015.

The APC has controlled the state since then. Umaru Mohammed Bago, who is seeking a second term in 2027, became governor in May 2023.

The emergence of Nami therefore puts the PDP on course for another attempt to unseat the APC in the state.

In a related development, the emergence of Nami comes weeks after the Niger State PDP had presented another set of candidates as part of its preparations for the 2027 elections.

On July 9, reports emerged that the party had formally unveiled Architect Abubakar Suleiman as its governorship candidate, with Alhaji Dahir DanAzumi Abdul named as his running mate.

The party also presented several candidates for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.

The development at the time followed the party’s primary elections and the presentation of certificates of return to the successful candidates.

PDP chairman Aliyu Halidu Mohammed urged the candidates to focus their campaigns on issues affecting residents rather than engaging in personal attacks.

“Campaigns should be focused on issues that affect the generality of Nigerlites and how to solve them if voted for, rather than personal attacks,” he said.

He also urged the candidates to maintain strong relationships with the party’s structures across the 25 local government areas and the various wards.

The party had said the exercise was part of efforts to build a united platform capable of challenging the APC in 2027.

The earlier emergence of Suleiman had followed a consensus arrangement after other aspirants withdrew from the race.

A May 30, 2026 report also stated that Suleiman had been elected by consensus after other aspirants pulled out.

On the other side, Governor Bago has already begun preparations for his re-election bid. On July 14, he announced that his deputy, Yakubu Garba, would remain his running mate for the 2027 governorship election.