Uba Sani Drops Muslim-Muslim Ticket, Names Jerry Adams Running Mate

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has named the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Jerry Adams, as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election, ending the Muslim-Muslim ticket that has defined the state’s leadership since 2019.

The announcement, made on Tuesday through the governor’s official X handle, signals a return to the Muslim-Christian ticket that had shaped Kaduna politics for most of the democratic era and is expected to influence political alignments ahead of the 2027 polls.

Sani said the decision followed extensive consultations, deep reflection and prayers, describing it as a reaffirmation of his administration’s commitment to justice, fairness, inclusion and equal opportunity.

“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,” the governor wrote.

The choice of Adams comes against the backdrop of Kaduna’s unique political history. Since the return to civilian rule in 1999, successive administrations maintained a religious balance on the governorship ticket until former Governor Nasir El-Rufai broke with the tradition in 2019 by choosing Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe as his running mate, resulting in the state’s first Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Ahmed Makarfi governed with Stephen Shekari as deputy from 1999 until Shekari’s death, after which Patrick Yakowa, a Christian, was appointed deputy. In 2007, Namadi Sambo retained Yakowa before moving to the office of Vice President in 2010, paving the way for Yakowa to become governor and appoint Ramalan Yero, a Muslim, as deputy.

Following Yakowa’s death in a helicopter crash in 2012, Yero became governor and selected Audu Nuhu Bajoga, a Christian, as his deputy, preserving the religious balance.

The arrangement changed in 2019 when El-Rufai replaced his first deputy, Barnabas Yusuf Bala, popularly known as Bantex, with Dr Balarabe. She was retained on the ticket when Uba Sani succeeded El-Rufai in 2023.

However, with Balarabe now serving her third consecutive term as deputy governor, constitutional provisions preventing anyone from taking the oath of office as deputy governor more than three times ruled her out of another term, prompting the search for a new running mate.

Political observers had closely watched Sani’s next move, given Kaduna’s religious diversity and the sensitivity surrounding the composition of the governorship ticket.

While retaining another Muslim would have preserved continuity, it also risked criticism from sections of the Christian community, particularly in Southern Kaduna, where the governor has earned praise for his inclusive style of governance.

In announcing Adams, Sani said Kaduna’s diversity should remain a source of strength rather than division.

“Kaduna is a remarkable state, blessed with extraordinary diversity of faiths, ethnicities and cultures. That diversity is not a burden; it is our greatest strength,” he said.

The governor noted that his administration had spent the past three years rebuilding trust among communities through equitable distribution of development projects and sustained engagement with traditional rulers, religious leaders, women, youths and community groups.

According to him, investments in roads, schools, healthcare, water supply, agriculture, rural development and social protection have reached all 23 local government areas based on the principle that no community should be left behind.

He added that improved security had enabled farmers to return to their lands, encouraged businesses to expand and restored confidence across many communities.

Sani described Adams as an accomplished public servant whose leadership has transformed KADIRS into one of Nigeria’s most respected revenue agencies.

He credited the tax administrator with strengthening the state’s internally generated revenue through innovation, transparency and professionalism, thereby expanding government’s capacity to invest in education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture and other critical sectors.

“Beyond his impressive professional accomplishments, Jerry Adams is a man of integrity, humility and quiet strength. He has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to peace, reconciliation and inclusive governance,” the governor said.

He urged residents to see the nomination beyond religious and ethnic considerations, insisting that competence, merit and character would continue to guide appointments under his administration.

“As we look towards 2027, I invite every son and daughter of Kaduna State to see this moment not through the narrow prism of religion, ethnicity or geography, but through the broader vision of the Kaduna we are building together; a Kaduna where every child can dream without fear, every community can flourish, every faith is respected and every citizen has an equal stake in our common future,” Sani added.

The governor expressed optimism that the administration would continue to consolidate the gains recorded in peacebuilding, security and inclusive development as Kaduna prepares for another electoral cycle.