By Our Correspondent

National News – A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Adamawa State, Alhaji Abubakar Jalo, has warned the party’s national leadership against allowing the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to influence the selection of a successor to Governor Ahmadu Fintiri ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Jalo made the statement on Saturday in Yola while speaking about the growing political tension within the party over who should emerge as the next governorship candidate.

Jalo, who hails from Yola North Local Government Area, cautioned that the party could lose Adamawa if it allows ethnic or religious considerations to determine the choice of its candidate.

According to him, some political actors are pushing for a Fulani candidate under the APC platform, a move he described as dangerous for the party’s electoral prospects.

He warned that voters in Adamawa were more concerned about governance and service delivery rather than political or ethnic affiliations.

Jalo said the electorate would ultimately decide based on competence and performance rather than party loyalty alone.

The APC chieftain also raised concerns about alleged attempts to impose a candidate on the people of the state.

He referenced the 2015 governorship election, claiming that when Ribadu was imposed as a candidate under the Peoples Democratic Party, he failed to win even in his own voting unit.

Investigations indicate that the APC in Adamawa is currently facing an internal succession battle ahead of the 2027 governorship race.

Supporters of Ribadu are reportedly pushing for him to influence the selection of the party’s candidate, while other party members insist that such a move could weaken the APC’s chances at the polls.

During a recent visit to the state, Vice President Kashim Shettima told party members that Governor Fintiri remains the political leader in Adamawa.

He cited the example of Borno State, where Governor Babagana Zulum leads the APC despite Shettima serving as vice president.

However, some supporters of Ribadu dismissed the vice president’s remarks as political rhetoric, insisting that the NSA still wields significant influence over the party’s structure in Adamawa.

The dispute highlights a growing power struggle that could shape the APC’s strategy for the 2027 governorship election.