The sudden appearance of campaign posters bearing the image of former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, across parts of Kebbi State and on social media has stirred fresh political tension ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The development, DAILY POST observed, seems to have unsettled the camp of the incumbent Governor Nasir Idris.
The posters, which hint at Malami’s ambition to contest for the governorship seat sighted in some parts of Kebbi State by our reporter, have reignited debate over political zoning, performance of the current administration and the growing calls for power shift away from Kebbi Central, the region that has produced successive governors since the state’s creation in 1991.
Governor Nasir Idris, elected in 2023 on the All Progressives Congress, APC, platform, is currently serving his first term in office.
He is widely believed to be interested in a second term, which has traditionally been the norm in Kebbi since the state’s creation in 1991.
No sitting governor in the state has ever failed to secure re-election, a historical trend that Idris’s supporters believe gives him an upper hand.
His political rise was buoyed by a strong labour background, as a former National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers and Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, which helped him garner support from civil servants and the grassroots across the state.
However, the governor’s journey toward a second term is likely to be more complex than his predecessors.
In addition to battling discontent over the growing insecurity in parts of the state, including the emergence of the terrorist group, Lakurawa, Governor Idris must also contend with a resurgent opposition.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains a formidable force in the state, having secured all three senatorial seats in the last election.
This rare sweep in the National Assembly from a single party, while the governorship seat is held by the opposition, signals that the APC’s grip on the state is not absolute.
In fact, all three senators representing Kebbi North, Kebbi Central, and Kebbi South are members of the PDP, a situation that not only reflects the strength of the opposition but also hints at fractures within the APC’s local structure.
Political analysts believe that this could pose a major challenge to Idris’s re-election efforts if these divisions persist.
While Malami has yet to make any formal political pronouncement, insiders suggest he is considering all strategic options, including pitching his tent with the PDP if the APC ticket is not favorable.
According to one source, “Malami is not desperate, but he is calculating. If the APC closes the door on him, he has other options. The PDP is watching too.”
Adding to the complexity is the influential presence of former governor and political godfather, Senator Adamu Aliero.
Once a key powerbroker in Kebbi politics and former mentor to several rising politicians, Aliero has since realigned with the PDP and is believed to be a major force behind its current resurgence in the state.
Sources within political circles have said Aliero has not been on good terms with Governor Idris, and any subtle moves he makes leading up to 2027 could significantly impact the outcome of the election.
Amid these challenges, the re-entry of Malami into the political discourse has polarised opinion within the ruling APC.
While some party stakeholders have dismissed his ambition as speculative and unrealistic, pointing to his perceived lack of grassroots support, others warn that he should not be underestimated, given his longstanding ties to national power brokers and the political elite.
An APC chieftain in Brinin Kebbi, Shehu Bashir, said, “Malami’s name carries weight in Abuja, not in our villages. People here want leaders who understand their daily struggles, not those who only show up when elections approach.
“Governor Idris may be having challenges, but he is still connected to the people.”
However, another party chieftain, Arewa Dandi, Salif Moussa, cautioned that dismissing Malami could be politically dangerous.
“He is a strategist. His charity initiatives, his national connections, and his silence after stepping down in 2023 have all been calculated. If he chooses to run, he will not be a pushover,” the source said.
Malami, a native of Kebbi Central, previously signaled interest in the 2023 governorship race before withdrawing under unclear circumstances.
His withdrawal paved the way for Governor Idris’s emergence as the party’s candidate.
The return of Malami’s posters has reignited the internal power tussle in the APC and stirred fresh calls for power rotation to Kebbi North or Kebbi South.
Many have argued that since Kebbi Central has held the governorship since 1999, it is time for other senatorial districts to be considered.
A youth leader from Yauri in Kebbi South, Musa Dankande, said, “Our zone has never produced a governor. It’s not about tribe or religion, it’s about fairness. We have capable leaders. If APC truly wants to keep the state, they must listen to this clamour.”
Though Malami has not officially declared interest, political observers believe the emergence of his posters is a clear sign of mobilization.
With the 2027 election less than two years away, the unfolding developments suggest a stormy race ahead, one that could test the strength of incumbency, the weight of federal connections, and the will of the grassroots electorate in Kebbi State.