The race for the Southern Borno senatorial seat has heated up ahead of the 2027 general elections. Political groups and stakeholders are split on whether or not to replace current lawmaker Ali Ndume.
Reports say that tensions rose on Wednesday because people in the district had different ideas about succession plans.
The Voice of Savannah Community Association, led by Comrade Ibrahim Ezekiel Mamza, turned down what it called attempts to force leadership on Southern Borno.
The group criticized some members of the All Progressives Congress in Maiduguri for what they called a “laughable endorsement” of Abdullahi Askira, the Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly.
The group told people, including Sule Gambo, Dr. Hauwa Mai Musa, and Tafu Malla, not to support the lawmaker in the 2027 senatorial race.
The group was worried that Askira, who they said was against the creation of Savannah State, was now trying to represent the zone in the Senate.
It said that the ambition was unacceptable and that the fight for Savannah State is still an important issue for the people.
Mamza told Askira and his supporters to say sorry in public for what they said about the issue.
Stakeholders Split on Succession
Even though the group is against it, there are signs that some stakeholders are pushing Askira to run against Ndume in the next election.
But Mamza said that people in all nine of the district’s local government areas, 101 wards, and more than 1,700 polling units are still unhappy with the endorsement.
The group also questioned Askira’s time in office, saying that there were no visible projects that he had worked on while he was in the State Assembly.
It also made people worry about safety in the area, saying that the government wasn’t doing enough to deal with the problems caused by insurgents.
The group said that no one area, including Gwoza, owns the senatorial seat and that representation has always been decided through open contests.
It used past candidates like Satumari Haske, Mala Gadzama, and Ishaku Shara as proof that elections in the district are competitive.
Group Supports Ndume’s Re-Election
The group said it still supported the current senator and called Ndume a brave representative who was dedicated to protecting the interests of Southern Borno.
It said that his removal as Chief Whip of the 10th Senate showed that he was willing to tell the truth to those in power.
“We are in charge of it in 2027.” The group said, “We vote for Ndume to keep speaking and standing up for Southern Borno at the National Assembly.”
