Why imposition of candidates won’t work in Adamawa, by Namdas
Former spokesperson of the House of Representatives and Adamawa governorship aspirant, Hon. Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas, has declared that the era of political imposition is over in Adamawa State, citing assurances
Former spokesperson of the House of Representatives and Adamawa governorship aspirant, Hon. Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas, has declared that the era of political imposition is over in Adamawa State, citing assurances from the highest levels of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Namdas, who previously served as Chairman of the House Committee on Army, made the remarks on Tuesday after submitting his Nomination and Expression of Interest forms at the party’s Form Sales and Submission Secretariat in Abuja.
Addressing newsmen, Namdas expressed confidence in the democratic process, stating that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC national leadership have guaranteed a transparent primary.
“There is no issue of imposition as far as I am concerned,” Namdas said. “The leaders of the party at the national level—the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the national chairman of the party, and even the governor at the state level—have assured us that there will be no imposition.”
The aspirant urged fellow politicians to prepare for a genuine contest rather than waiting for a “coronation” through consensus.
“We are politicians and have presented ourselves before the public, which is why we were elected in the past. If we are called for consensus, that does not mean we will not participate in the process. If we agree among ourselves, fine. If we do not agree, we go for a contest.”
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Reflecting on his eight-year tenure in the National Assembly, Namdas added that he is “well prepared to cross over to the executive” and tackle the challenges facing Adamawa State.
In a related development, Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, a senatorial aspirant for Zamfara North, has called for the adoption of the direct primary mode, vowing to challenge the 16-year incumbency in his district.
Speaking after submitting his forms, Shinkafi delivered a scathing assessment of the current representation in the state, alleging that the zone has failed to attract meaningful federal projects.
“This is the time for change—a new beginning in the senatorial district. We are tired of political slavery, and it is time for us to break free from that political captivity,” Shinkafi declared.
Shinkafi explicitly rejected any attempt at a consensus arrangement, insisting that all eight aspirants in the race must face the party’s rank-and-file members.
“I am not ready for consensus. I am not ready to step down. I want to exercise my right as provided by the Electoral Act. Therefore, we must go for direct primaries. Whoever wins carries the day.”
He further described the long tenure of the current occupant as a symbol of “inequality, injustice, and clear marginalisation,” calling for an immediate power shift among the local governments in the zone.
