Opinion
2027: Top APC Governor Dumps Muslim-Muslim Ticket
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, is set to return the state to a Muslim-Christian governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 election.
Information made available indicates that he will choose a Christian from Southern Kaduna as his running mate.
The move is expected to end the Muslim-Muslim arrangement that has been in place since 2019 and restore the religious balancing formula in the state.
Sources familiar with ongoing consultations said the governor has concluded plans to pick a deputy governorship candidate from Southern Kaduna before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline for the submission of candidates and their running mates.
The development comes as Deputy Governor Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe is constitutionally unable to continue in the position beyond the current administration, having already served in the office since 2019.
Multiple sources within government circles disclosed that Governor Sani weighed several factors before reaching his decision. Among the issues reportedly considered were zoning, age, gender, political experience and religion.
However, the governor was said to have eventually settled for a Muslim-Christian ticket in a bid to promote inclusiveness and preserve the state’s delicate religious balance.
A source at the Kaduna State Government House said the governor believes the deputy governorship position should remain in Southern Kaduna while also ensuring religious diversity on the ticket.
“The governor has carefully looked at different options. He believes fairness and inclusiveness are important. After considering all the factors, he has resolved that religious balance and senatorial representation should take priority,” the source said.
According to the source, consultations have reached an advanced stage, but the governor has deliberately kept his preferred choice away from public attention to prevent intense lobbying and political pressure.
“The process is ongoing quietly. He does not want unnecessary distractions before the official announcement is made,” the source added.
Several prominent figures from Southern Kaduna are reportedly being considered for the position.
Among those whose names have surfaced in political discussions are the Kaduna State Commissioner for Justice, James Kanyip; the Head of Service, Jummai Bako; and the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service, Jerry Adams.
None of the individuals has publicly commented on the speculation.
When contacted on the matter, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ibraheem Musa, declined to confirm or deny the reports.
He maintained that the governor would make his decision known at the appropriate time.
“The public will be informed whenever a formal decision is taken,” he said.
The reported decision has generated considerable interest across Kaduna State, particularly in Southern Kaduna where political leaders and community stakeholders have consistently argued that the deputy governorship slot should remain in the zone.
That tradition was broken in 2019 when former Governor Nasir El-Rufai selected Hadiza Balarabe, also a Muslim, as his running mate.
The arrangement was retained in 2023 when Uba Sani emerged as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and again chose Balarabe as his deputy governorship candidate.Party platform analysis
At the time, Sani defended his choice and praised the deputy governor’s record in office.
“I am happy to announce that I have picked Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe as my running mate in the 2023 governorship election in Kaduna State,” he said.
He added that Balarabe had “demonstrated hard work, punctuality, dedication and team spirit in the discharge of her responsibility as Deputy Governor.”
Recall in the buildup to the 2023 election, Governor Uba Sani faced intense pressure from various political and religious groups over the choice of his running mate after he retained Hadiza Balarabe on the APC ticket.
At the time, the governor insisted that competence, experience and continuity were key considerations behind his decision.
Announcing Balarabe as his running mate, Sani said she had contributed significantly to the achievements recorded by the previous administration in infrastructure and human capital development.
He also urged residents to support the ticket, stating that the team was committed to building “a peaceful, prosperous and greater Kaduna State.”
Consequently, the choice met reactions in Southern Kaduna as several groups argued that a Christian candidate should have been selected to reflect the state’s religious diversity.
Three Nigerians have been jailed for separate offences in the United Kingdom, with one sentenced for dangerous driving, another for attempting to murder his estranged wife and the third for attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
A 23-year-old Nigerian, Michael Nwanze, was sentenced to 13 months in prison after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and other offences following a police chase in Northampton.
According to Northamptonshire Police, Nwanze was stopped in Abington Square on March 10, 2026, after the vehicle he was driving was flagged for having no insurance.
He allegedly sped off, drove through several red lights and reached speeds of more than 100mph on a dual carriageway and 70mph in a 40mph zone. He also collided with several vehicles while attempting to evade the police.
Nwanze was later charged with dangerous driving, driving without insurance, failing to stop for police and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.
He pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court in April and was sentenced in June.
In Scotland, a 26-year-old Nigerian, Osarenkhoe Atutie, was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison for attempting to murder his estranged wife, Victory Atutie, in Edinburgh.
According to the BBC, Atutie attacked his wife on Duke Street, Leith, in November 2025 after tracking her down following the breakdown of their marriage.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard that the victim suffered 12 stab wounds and was hospitalised for four days.
Three members of the public intervened, disarmed Atutie and restrained him until police arrived. His original 10-year sentence was reduced to seven-and-a-half years after he pleaded guilty.
He was also given a lifetime non-harassment order and will remain under supervision for 18 months after his release.
Meanwhile, a Nigerian student, Anderson Ishiekwene, was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
According to the BBC, the 25-year-old Ishiekwene, who arrived in the UK on a student visa in August 2025, communicated with a decoy profile operated by an online paedophile hunter group after believing the person was a 14-year-old girl.
Prosecutors said he exchanged hundreds of pages of messages with the decoy before arranging to meet at a shopping centre in Washington, England. He was arrested when he arrived at the agreed location.
Ishiekwene had earlier admitted attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child and was convicted by a jury of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
He was ordered to sign the sex offenders register and comply indefinitely with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, with the court stating that he was likely to face automatic deportation after completing his sentence.
It was another sad day last Monday when the news broke that a serving colonel of the Nigerian Army had been killed while his wife was shot in an attack on their residence near Abuja.
The slain officer, Colonel Abdussalam Ude, was attacked shortly after returning to his home in Kurudu District of the nation’s capital, on Monday evening. His driver and security guard also sustained gunshot wounds during the assault.
Citing security sources, PRNigeria said the attackers attempted to abduct the officer but met stiff resistance. After failing to take him away, the assailants allegedly shot the officer multiple times before fleeing the scene.
His wife, driver and security guard, who were caught in the attack, were rushed to hospital and were receiving treatment for varying degrees of gunshot injuries.
The killing has sent shockwaves through military circles, coming at a time Colonel Ude was preparing for his promotion to the rank of Brigadier General.
An indigene of Enugu State, the late officer served in several strategic intelligence and counter-terrorism roles within the Armed Forces. LawEnforcement
Colleagues described him as a courageous and highly respected intelligence officer whose dedication to duty earned him widespread admiration within the military.
Besides the fact that the killing has renewed concerns over attacks on serving and retired military officers in Abuja and other parts of the country, the killing of a senior military officer by gunmen right inside his residence, also shows how unsafe the country has become for both ordinary and privileged Nigerians.
It is particularly worse for military personnel. They are not safe on the battlefront; they are not safe at home and they are safe in retirement.
The incident comes about two years after retired Brigadier General Uwem Harold Udokwere was killed by armed men who invaded his residence in the Lokogoma area of Abuja while he was defending his family. The attackers reportedly escaped with his firearm and other valuables.
The federal government has to seriously come up with a strategy on how to end the incessant killings in the country. In the last one week, over 70 people have been killed across the country. Nigerians cannot continued to leave in fear.
-THISDAY
BREAKDOWN EMERGES
Nigerian ambassadors’ pay packages have come under renewed attention. Fresh figures revealed that while basic salaries remained modest, allowances significantly boosted overall compensation for diplomats posted abroad
Reports showed that total monthly take-home pay often reached several million naira, reflecting the high costs of overseas postings
According to Salary.com, as of December 2025, the average annual salary for employees at the Nigerian Embassy in the United States stood at $93,909. This translated to an approximate hourly wage of $45.
Salaries at the embassy typically ranged from $82,124 to $107,453 annually, reflecting the diverse roles and levels of experience within the organisation. Reports indicated that pay was influenced by factors such as job role, department, years of service, and location.
Nigerian Ambassador Salary Structure
Rufai Oseni of Arise TV reported that the salary of Nigerian ambassadors was governed by the Consolidated Diplomatic, Consular and Foreign Service Cadre Salary Structure (CONPSS) in the Nigerian public service. Ambassadors usually fell into the highest grade levels, GL 17 or equivalent, with additional allowances for overseas postings.
Based on government budget allocations, salary surveys, and reports on foreign service personnel costs, the basic salary was described as modest by international standards but supplemented by substantial allowances.
Basic Salary of Nigerian Ambassadors Monthly Basic Pay:
Approximately ₦800,000 to ₦1,200,000 (about $485–$727 USD).
Annual Basic Salary: ₦9.6 million to ₦14.4 million (about $5,818–$8,727 USD).
These figures were drawn from the CONPSS scale for top-tier diplomatic officers. Entry-level foreign service officers reportedly earned around ₦300,000–₦500,000 monthly, but ambassadors, being at the top of the career ladder, commanded the upper end.
The figures also aligned with general public sector pay for Grade Level 17 officers, adjusted for inflation and the 2025 minimum wage increase to ₦70,000.
Allowances and Total Compensation
Reports highlighted that basic pay alone did not reflect the full compensation package.
Nigerian ambassadors posted overseas received allowances designed to offset high living expenses, hardship, and representational duties.
Total monthly take-home pay often exceeded ₦2–5 million ($1,212–$3,030 USD), depending on the host country.
The release of estimated salaries shed light on the financial structure of Nigeria’s foreign service. While the basic salary remained modest compared to international standards, allowances ensured that ambassadors were adequately supported in their overseas postings.
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