The race for Kaduna Central senatorial seat in Kaduna State, also known as Zone Two, is proving to be an interesting one ahead of the 2027 general elections. Dateline Nigeria gives a quick rundown of the main contenders so far.
The Kaduna Central Senatorial District comprises seven Local Government Areas: Birnin Gwari, Chikun, Giwa, Igabi, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, and Kajuru. The district has been a highly competitive political battleground since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, with only the late Senator Mohammed Muktar Aruwa of the now defunct All People’s Party (APP)/All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) able to serve two terms from 1999 to 2007.
Since Aruwa’s exit from the seat in 2007, the district has had five senators including late Barrister Mohammed Kabir Jibril of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP (2007-2011), retired Major General Mohammed Sani Saleh of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC (2011-2015), activist Shehu Sani of the All Progressives Congress, APC (2015-2019), present Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani of the APC, (2019-2023) and Lawal Adamu Usman of the PDP (2023-to date).
Below is a quick rundown of the main contenders for the Kaduna Central Senatorial District seat in Kaduna, so far. Several factors are expected to play a role in the emergence of an eventual winner in the race. As many observers have noted, many more names may join the race as time goes on.
The known contenders so far
Senator Shehu Sani of the APC is eying a return to the red legislative chamber, where he represented the Kaduna Central from 2015 to 2019. Known for activism and public engagement, Shehu Sani had to defect from the APC to the PDP due to political disagreement with former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. He however returned to the party as a result of his close relationship with current Governor Uba Sani. He is also a strong supporter of President Bola Tinubu.
Yusuf Zailani, also of the APC, is a former Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, who officially joined the race on Saturday in his hometown of Rigachukun. Before becoming speaker, he has been a long serving member of Igabi in the assembly. Zailani is very popular in Igabi, which is a key voting bloc in the state. He wants a contest, rather than consensus, in deciding the senatorial candidate of the zone. He has endorsed President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani for reelection.
Yerima Shettima is another contender for the APC ticket in Zone Two. He is the convener of the Northern Stakeholder Consultative Forum and believed to have enormous resources for his ambition. He is also Northern youth leader with strong grassroots visibility and messaging. His billboards can be found at strategic points in the zone and he is now a regular presence at social and political gatherings in the district.
Senator Lawal Adamu Usman, popularly known as Mr LAA, recently dumped the PDP on whose platform he was elected to the red chamber. Many believe his relationship with former Vice President Atiku Abubaka played a role in his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). His journey to the Senate in 2023 was almost cut short by a protracted legal battle. He is nursing the ambition of retaining his seat.
Who will emerge victorious?
After the withdrawal of Dr. Abdulmumini Mohammed Aminu-Zaria as the Executive Director of the Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC) from the race, the APC is now left with Shehu Sani, Yusuf Zailani and Yerima Shettima as contenders, while the opposition ADC has only Lawal Adamu Usman, pending the emergence of others. The PDP, for instance, is still a viable platform in Kaduna politics. Right now, however, the race is set to test party discipline, zoning calculations, and incumbency power. Will consensus work or will there be primary to decide?
Governor Uba Sani has publicly not endorsed anyone and insists on a “transparent, fair and inclusive process”. Analysts warn unresolved rivalries could hurt his second-term bid if the primary fractures the party. If the governor succeeds in brokering a consensus or the primary is seen as credible, APC starts as favourite. A messy fallout will hand ADC the leverage.
Right now, APC has the advantage of structure and the governor’s platform, but ADC has the sitting senator and protest momentum. The race turns on two questions: Can APC emerge from its primary intact? And can Usman convince voters that ADC is more than “recycled PDP”? Time will tell
