Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has nominated Jerry Adams, the Executive Chairman of Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election.
The nomination marked the first time in seven years that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has fielded a Christian as its deputy governorship candidate in Kaduna State, signalling a departure from the party’s Muslim-Muslim governorship tickets in the 2019 and 2023 elections.
The nomination also brought to an end the intrigues that had trailed the selection process since the incumbent Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, is constitutionally barred to run again for the office.
Recall that Dr. Balarabe served as the deputy of immediate past Governor Nasir el-Rufai between 2019 and 2023. Also, upon the emergence of Senator Uba Sani as governorship candidate in 2023, he ran with Hadiza as part of a strategy to address some political disaffection.
As Dr Balarabe is now hampered by constitutional provisions to take the oath of office for a third time, shopping for a new running mate became inevitable for the governor.
According to Sani, the nomination of Adams reflects his administration’s commitment to inclusion, justice, fairness and equitable representation across the state.
“This decision is far greater than the selection of a deputy governorship candidate. It is a reaffirmation of the values that have guided our administration since I took the oath of office on 29 May 2023; the values of inclusion, justice, fairness, equity and the unwavering conviction that every citizen of Kaduna State deserves a genuine sense of belonging,” he said.
The governor added that the decision underscored his belief in rewarding competence, integrity and dedicated public service.
He described Adams as an accomplished public servant, institution builder and respected tax administrator whose leadership at KADIRS has strengthened the state’s fiscal capacity through reforms aimed at improving internally generated revenue and public financial management.
“Through innovation, transparency and professionalism, he has helped strengthen our fiscal capacity, enabling government to invest even more in the education of our children, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture and other critical sectors that improve the lives of our people,” Sani noted.
The governor also stressed that the choice of Adams reinforces his vision of building a united, peaceful and prosperous Kaduna State where merit, competence and character remain the foundation of leadership.
He assured that his administration would ensure that every citizen has a genuine sense of belonging regardless of background.
Adams is widely recognised for his contributions to tax administration and institutional reforms. His nomination is expected to attract attention within the state’s political landscape as preparations for the 2027 governorship election continue.
Since 1999, all the governors of the state had chosen persons of different faiths from theirs untill 2019 when el-Rufai decided to do away with that arrangement while runnning for second term and he picked the current deputy governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe.
In 1999, Governor Ahmed Makarfi paired with Stephen Shekari as his deputy. When Shekari died before the end of the tenure, Makarfi chose Patrick Yakowa, another Christian, to fill the vacant position.
In 2007, Namadi Sambo continued with Yakowa as his deputy. Upon the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua, Sambo was nominated as vice president to President Goodluck Jonathan. Yakowa moved up the ladder to become governor and picked Ramalan Yero, a Muslim, as his deputy.
Yakowa died in office and Yero, who assumed position as governor, picked Audu Nuhu Bajoga, Christian, as deputy.
El-Rufai in 2015 ran with Barnabas Yusuf Bala popularly known as Bantex but on the completion of their first term, had a change of mind in 2019, allowing the latter to run for a Senate seat while he shopped for another deputy and zeroed in on Hadiza.
