A support group within the African Democratic Congress wants party members to back Hon. Isa Ashiru as the ADC's governorship candidate for the 2027 Kaduna election. The ADC Muhaska Youths Forum, led by Yusuf Gidan Hadi, says Ashiru is the most experienced and widely accepted aspirant among those running for the party's ticket.
Ashiru served in the Kaduna State House of Assembly and later in the House of Representatives. He has run for governor three times, making him one of the state's most seasoned opposition politicians. The youth forum argues that winning elections requires experience, grassroots connections, political structure, and public acceptance, all of which they say Ashiru has built over decades.
"We cannot afford experimental politicians," Gidan Hadi said in a statement issued Sunday in Kaduna. "Elections are won through strength on the ground, not through trial and error." The group noted that Ashiru has political networks across all 23 local government areas of Kaduna State, with active supporters and mobilizers in place.
The forum pointed to Ashiru's 2023 performance against Governor Uba Sani as evidence of his political strength. "Political observers believe he performed exceptionally well, and some maintain the election outcome did not reflect the true wishes of many Kaduna voters," the statement said. The youth group also highlighted the apparent rift between former Governor Nasir El-Rufai and Governor Sani, noting that El-Rufai appears closer to opposition forces where Ashiru plays a leading role.
"This changes the equation ahead of 2027," the forum said. "It strengthens the chances of ADC if we present our strongest candidate." The group appealed to other aspirants within the party to support Ashiru in the interest of unity and the party's chances against the ruling APC. "Supporting Ashiru would not diminish their relevance," the statement added. "It would strengthen the party and position ADC as a united force." The ADC has not yet announced a timeline for its governorship primary.
