The senator representing Borno Central, Kaka Lawan, has withdrawn from the Borno State governorship race, throwing his weight behind Mustapha Gubio, the preferred candidate of Governor Babagana Zulum.
The decision was reached during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja on Thursday night, where party leaders agreed that Lawan should step down to pave the way for Gubio’s emergence as the consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The development marks a major political realignment within the APC in Borno ahead of the next election cycle.
According to a statement issued by Lawan’s legislative aide, Usman Alkali, the meeting was chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima and attended by key political figures, including Governor Zulum, APC Deputy National Chairman Ali Bukar Dalori, and Minister of Agriculture Abubakar Kyari.
“At the stakeholders’ meeting… it was resolved that Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan was prevailed upon to step down his gubernatorial ambition to pave the way for the emergence of Engr. Mustapha Gubio,” the statement said.
Following the agreement, Lawan is expected to retain his position as senator representing Borno Central, effectively ending speculation over his political future.
The move is being framed by party insiders as a strategic decision aimed at consolidating power and avoiding internal divisions within the APC.
APC adopts consensus candidate
In a related development, the spokesperson to the Borno State governor, Dauda Illiya, confirmed that the state chapter of the APC has officially adopted Gubio as its consensus governorship candidate.
He disclosed that Governor Zulum had earlier presented Gubio to Vice President Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to Governor Zulum, the decision reflects unity within the party and aligns with broader efforts to maintain political stability in the state.
Political backing and reception
The governor also commended Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his “strategic leadership, support and guidance,” while acknowledging the Vice President’s role in strengthening party cohesion.
Party leaders and supporters are expected to receive the candidates in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, where a massive show of support is anticipated.
The withdrawal of Lawan and adoption of Gubio underscores a growing trend of consensus candidacy within the APC, aimed at preventing divisive primaries and strengthening internal unity ahead of elections.
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