2027 elections: PDP governorship candidate ABG takes campaign to Southern Kaduna

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Rt. Hon. Shehu Usman Bawa, popularly known as ABG, has engaged party leaders and stakeholders in Southern Kaduna, seeking their support ahead of the 2027 governorship election and pledging to prioritise grassroots-oriented governance if elected.

Bawa made the appeal on Friday in Kafanchan while addressing PDP leaders, supporters and stakeholders from the Southern Kaduna Senatorial District, also known as Zone 3, during an engagement designed to strengthen interaction between the party’s governorship candidate, his running mate and members of the party across the zone. His running mate, Hon. Amos Adamu Gandu, was also present at the gathering. Blueprint reports

The meeting formed part of the PDP’s ongoing organisational and mobilisation activities ahead of the 2027 elections, with the party seeking to deepen engagement with its structures across Kaduna State. Bawa emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate in May after defeating Haruna Kajuru at the party’s primary election, where he polled 124,170 votes against Kajuru’s 22,010.

Bawa promises bottom-to-top governance

Addressing the gathering, Bawa urged political office seekers to be cautious about making promises they would be unable to fulfil once elected, stressing that public leadership should be founded on accountability, transparency and responsibility.

The former member of the House of Representatives said his administration, if elected, would adopt what he described as a bottom-to-top approach to governance, with government policies and programmes shaped around the needs and aspirations of communities at the grassroots.

He said his intention was to ensure that governance was not concentrated around government offices and major urban centres, but extended to communities where ordinary citizens directly experience the challenges that public policies are expected to address.

Bawa called on residents across Kaduna State to support the PDP’s bid to take over the state government in 2027, framing the contest as an opportunity for citizens to determine the direction of governance through the ballot box.

The candidate has previously presented his proposed P.E.O.P.L.E Agenda, which includes commitments covering human capital development, education, healthcare, participatory governance and other areas of public administration. His campaign platform says the agenda is intended to provide a framework for a government “produced by the people, conducted with the people, delivered for the people.”

PDP targets stronger structure in Zone 3

The PDP State Chairman, Chief Edward Percy Masha, said the Kafanchan engagement was organised to provide the governorship candidate and his running mate with an opportunity to interact directly with party members and stakeholders in Southern Kaduna and hear concerns from the zone.

Masha urged party members to remain united and committed as the 2027 elections approach, stressing the importance of cohesion among party leaders, candidates, former aspirants and grassroots structures.

The chairman said the PDP was preparing to challenge the APC for political control of Kaduna State, while calling on members to strengthen the party’s structures and mobilisation efforts across the state.

The party has in recent months repeatedly emphasised unity and coordination among its candidates and stakeholders as it prepares for the next election cycle. At an earlier stakeholders’ meeting in Kafanchan, Masha similarly urged members in Zone 3 to remain united and committed to the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Masha alleges hardship, unfulfilled promises

Masha also criticised the APC-led administration over what he described as increasing hardship among citizens, saying the PDP would continue to raise issues it considered shortcomings of the current government.

He further alleged that the Kaduna State Government had failed to fulfil a promise he said was made before the 2023 elections concerning the payment of entitlements to disengaged traditional leaders, district heads and teachers.

The allegation was made by the PDP chairman at the party gathering and was not independently established in the material available for the report. The claim therefore represents the position of the opposition party rather than an independently verified finding.

Masha has previously said the PDP intends to run an issue-based campaign ahead of the 2027 elections, while the party’s September Expanded State Executive Committee meeting reaffirmed its intention to challenge the APC-led administration and presented Bawa and Gandu as its governorship ticket.

Southern Kaduna leaders back candidate

Earlier, the PDP Zonal Chairman, Hon. Yusuf Danjuma Akuso, described Bawa as a “fine gentleman” and expressed confidence in his candidacy, while urging party members across the zone to remain committed to the PDP.

The immediate past PDP chairman in Kaduna State, Hassan Hyat, also spoke at the gathering, alleging that some citizens had been sidelined in the distribution of government programmes and benefits.

Hyat contrasted the situation with what he described as the approach adopted by previous PDP administrations and called on residents to support the party’s efforts to return to power.

Similarly, former Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Nuhu Bajoga, criticised the present administration and described it as a “government of deceit”, urging PDP supporters to remain mobilised ahead of the 2027 election.

The remarks by the party leaders formed part of the opposition’s broader argument for a change in government, while the APC-led administration remains in office under Governor Uba Sani.

Campaign takes grassroots direction

For Bawa, the Kafanchan meeting provided another opportunity to position his campaign around grassroots participation and direct engagement with communities.

His campaign platform states that he intends to pursue a participatory model in which citizens across the state would have a role in shaping policy priorities. It also lists proposed interventions in areas including primary healthcare, public schools, digital infrastructure and youth employment. These remain campaign proposals rather than implemented government programmes.

The former Kaduna North federal lawmaker has also been engaging political stakeholders and party candidates ahead of the formal campaign period. Earlier in September, he met PDP candidates in the state and urged them to work together and maintain coordination as the party prepares to take its campaign to the 23 local government areas.

The Kafanchan engagement therefore underscored the importance the PDP is attaching to its Zone 3 structure as the party builds its campaign organisation ahead of the 2027 governorship contest.

With the election still ahead, the parties are expected to intensify their engagement with voters, present their policy proposals and make their respective cases to residents across Kaduna State.

The Kafanchan meeting was attended by PDP leaders, supporters and stakeholders from different communities in Southern Kaduna, as the party continues its mobilisation and organisational preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.