Why ADC’s Hopes in Jigawa Still Run Through Bashir “Jumbo”

Why ADC’s Hopes in Jigawa Still Run Through Bashir “Jumbo”

By Abubakar G. Danmalam

In politics, structure beats slogans. In Jigawa ADC, one name consistently comes up whenever structure is mentioned: Hon. Bashir Adamu (Matawallen Kazaure). Political insiders call him “Jumbo” not only because of his stature but also because of the political weight and influence he carries.

While ADC was still an unfamiliar acronym across most of Jigawa’s 27 local government areas, Bashir was already on the ground, building ward structures, funding party secretariats, and recruiting members door-to-door as far back as 2025.

The petition he filed against the party’s primary process reflects his disappointment. He did not merely join ADC; he nurtured it. If political parties are houses, Bashir laid the foundation, molded the blocks, and helped raise the roof. Demolishing that house now could leave ADC politically homeless in Jigawa.

Jigawa politics has traditionally been Dutse-centric. APC and PDP candidates have often emerged from the state capital and its surrounding political axis. Bashir Adamu disrupts that pattern. As Matawallen Kazaure and one of the state’s longest-serving federal lawmakers, his name resonates not only across Jigawa’s five emirates but also in neighboring communities along the Katsina and Kano borders, as well as across Nigeria.

For a party like ADC, which needs to break the “Dutse versus the rest” narrative, Bashir offers immediate name recognition in areas where APC and PDP often take voters for granted. Voters already know who he is, and that alone could save ADC millions in branding and political outreach ahead of 2027.

The central allegation in Bashir’s petition—that the primary committee chairman acted under duress and that the State Executive Committee hijacked the process in favor of Sabo Nakudu—mirrors what many Jigawa voters complain about during every election cycle. The phrase “An zaba mana” (“they chose for us”) has become a common expression of frustration among the electorate.

By challenging the outcome, Bashir is positioning ADC as a party willing to reject imposition, even within its own ranks. If the Appeal Committee nullifies the disputed primary and orders a transparent rerun, ADC could instantly gain credibility. Credibility remains the most powerful weapon any third party needs to compete against APC’s state machinery and PDP’s political ambitions.

As the petitioner, Bashir naturally becomes the face of that credibility.

Jigawa’s electorate in 2027 will be younger than ever. More than 60 percent of registered voters are expected to be under the age of 40. Many of these voters care less about the politics of 1999 and more about jobs, security, accountability, and fairness.

Bashir appears to straddle both worlds. As a former federal lawmaker, he understands Abuja’s budgeting process, lobbying networks, and governance structures—the traditional politics that established parties rely on. At the same time, as someone who helped build ADC through grassroots mobilization and youth-driven campaigns, he understands the dynamics of modern politics, community engagement, and town hall meetings.

ADC needs both approaches if it hopes to win.

Sabo Nakudu may enjoy establishment backing, but Bashir possesses a combination of experience and grassroots energy that aligns more closely with the profile of the 2027 voter. This reality represents both ADC’s greatest asset and its greatest risk. The same structures Bashir helped build can also leave with him.

Political camps within PDP, including those aligned with former Chief of Staff to the National Chairman of PDP and now Northwest Zonal Organizing Secretary of ADC, Ali Tukur Gantsa, and other influential actors, are undoubtedly watching the situation closely. If ADC loses Bashir, it may lose more than a governorship aspirant. It could lose ward chairmen across its 287 wards, youth coordinators, grassroots organizers, and the donor network he helped cultivate.

APC understands this as well.

That is why subtle political overtures may continue—enough to keep ADC weakened, but not entirely collapsed. For ADC to remain relevant in 2027, it must keep Jumbo within the fold. The moment he exits, ADC in Jigawa risks reverting to what critics often describe as a “press conference party.”

ADC’s national leadership now faces a strategic choice. It can side entirely with the State Executive Committee and risk losing Bashir’s political structure, or it can use the appeal process as an opportunity to reset, address any violations of party guidelines, and bring both camps back to the negotiating table.

Politics is ultimately about addition, not subtraction.

The Sabo-versus-Bashir contest should be framed as a competition between two committed ADC stakeholders, not as a battle between enemies. If ADC can emerge with a united front—whether through reconciliation, power-sharing arrangements, or an inclusive campaign structure—it could position itself as the only viable alternative with both organizational strength and moral credibility.

APC will rely on incumbency. PDP will hope for favorable political winds at the federal level. But ADC’s most realistic route to Government House, Dutse, appears to run through Bashir Adamu.

He is not perfect—no politician is—but he remains arguably the only ADC figure in Jigawa today with a statewide structure, broad name recognition, and a political narrative capable of resonating with voters frustrated by imposition and exclusion. Ignore him, and ADC enters the 2027 race armed mainly with slogans.

Work with him, and ADC enters the contest with structure. In Jigawa politics, structure has often been the deciding factor.

The Appeal Committee’s decision will do more than settle a disputed primary. It may determine whether ADC remains a viable political force in Jigawa or becomes a footnote in what could otherwise be another APC-versus-PDP rematch in 2027.

As the countdown to 2027 continues, the African Democratic Congress faces a defining test: who will carry its governorship flag?

Many political observers are asking a fundamental question: Why didn’t Sabo Nakudu use his resources to build the ADC in the past? Why did he only become interested after Bashir Adamu had already helped establish and expand the party’s structures across Jigawa State?

Others point to Nakudu’s previous electoral outings. If financial strength alone determined electoral success, why did it not secure victory when he contested for the Senate in 2019? Why did it not help him win the governorship in 2023 despite being regarded as a wealthy and well-connected politician? In contrast, former Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar endorsed a candidate who was neither a career politician nor known for vast wealth, yet that candidate won the election.

Many believe that money does not win elections—people do. In the current political climate, grassroots support, trust, and credibility matter more than financial resources alone.

Supporters of Bashir Adamu argue that his political experience, grassroots connections, and established structure make him one of the few figures capable of leading ADC to victory in the 2027 governorship election. They contend that denying him the party’s ticket could significantly weaken ADC’s chances of securing the governorship.

From this perspective, Sabo Nakudu should carefully assess the political realities on the ground and consider supporting Bashir Jumbo if the ultimate goal is electoral success for the party.

The dispute between Sabo Nakudu and Hon. Bashir Adamu “Jumbo” is more than an internal party disagreement. In many respects, it is a struggle over ADC’s future, direction, and relevance in Jigawa State.

Ultimately, the electorate—and time itself—will determine the outcome of this lingering political controversy ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Abubakar G. Danmalam writes from Kazaure and can be reached at: abubakardanmalam@gmail.com.