Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, has officially declared his interest in contesting the 2027 governorship election under the party’s banner.
Speaking to his supporters in Gusau, the state capital, Shinkafi said his decision was driven by the need for fairness, inclusion, and development across all parts of the state.
He warned against the imposition of candidates, insisting that every member of the APC has the right to seek elective office.
“I am a qualified member of the APC and I have the right to contest the primary election for any position in the party,” he said.
The APC stalwart also decried what he described as the political dominance of the Zamfara West Senatorial Zone since the return of democracy in 1999.
“Former Governor Ahmed Sani Yarima governed the state for eight years and later spent 12 years in the Senate.
Abdulaziz Yari also ruled for eight years, while Bello Matawalle governed for four years. All are from Zamfara West,” he stated.
Shinkafi argued that it was time for other zones to be given the opportunity to lead, stressing that Zamfara North, which last produced Mahmuda Aliyu Shinkafi for only one term, deserves a fair chance in 2027.
Meanwhile, another APC chieftain, Aminu Muhammad Kaura, has declared his support for the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, as the party’s preferred candidate in the next election.
Kaura claimed that several stakeholders were already backing Matawalle, describing him as a bridge-builder who can unite the APC in the state.