The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Borno State has backed Abdullahi Musa Askira, the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, to run for the Borno South Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.
The endorsement suggests that there may be a race against Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, a long-time member of the National Assembly and veteran lawmaker who has represented the district for several terms.
The stakeholders’ decision came after a number of meetings in all nine of the district’s local government areas. This was in response to growing calls for power rotation and more inclusive representation in the zone.
Sule Gambo, a key figure in the region’s political development, spoke for the group and said that the demand for change was based on what had happened in the past. He remembered that during the Second Republic, leaders from Askira/Uba backed the idea of zoning the senatorial seat to Gwoza in order to be fair and include everyone.
He said that the people of Askira/Uba were the ones who started this deal.
“We all agreed that the seat should move to Gwoza so they would feel like they belonged there,” he said.
Gambo, on the other hand, said in a statement yesterday that the idea of rotation had been ignored. He said that after the late Senator Mohammed Mahdi’s term, the seat stayed in Gwoza instead of moving to other local government areas in the district.
“The senatorial seat is supposed to move around between Chibok, Damboa, Gwoza, and Askira/Uba. He said, “Unfortunately, this hasn’t been the case for a long time.”
Gambo told party members to support the Deputy Speaker and said, “By the will of God, the time has come for Askira/Uba.” Engineer Abdullahi Askira, one of our great sons, has expressed interest, and we want to make sure that the principle of rotation is followed.
Tafu Malla, a well-known female politician, praised Askira’s grassroots work from a gender perspective, saying that he supported initiatives to create jobs, improve agriculture, and empower women.
Malla said, “Askira really does have an open-door policy and is always there for the poor.” She also said that women were especially grateful for his work in helping young people find jobs.
Hawa Mai-Musa, a retired Permanent Secretary and former Special Adviser from Chibok Local Government Area, also spoke out. She stressed the need for fairness after one axis had been in charge for so long.
“We’re busy fighting political wars while other people are bringing federal projects to their areas. We need Engr. “Bring your professional and legislative experience to the Senate,” she said to Askira.
The proposed “Savannah State” is still a big issue in the campaign, and Askira’s push for the new state has made him a household name. People who support the cause think that a senator who is committed to it would help speed up the constitutional process at the National Assembly.
Political experts said that the “Ndume Factor” is still strong, even though his campaign is gaining support. This is because he has a lot of experience in government and still has a lot of political power. Still, the coordinated support for Askira suggests a planned effort to change the political balance in Borno South.
For now, the Deputy Speaker’s camp is staying cautious and waiting for the APC leadership to tell them what to do as the race for 2027 heats up.
Stakeholders said that his rise to power was a necessary step toward bringing fairness and political balance back to the district.
