The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Shehu Usman Bawa, has challenged Governor Uba Sani and the All Progressives Congress (APC) over claims that the ruling party faces no strong opposition ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Bawa, popularly known as ABG, said the alleged concern over the opposition contradicted claims that the PDP and other opposition parties were not strong enough to challenge the APC in the election.
‘If there’s no opposition, why are they worried?’ Bawa asked while speaking with journalists at his campaign office in Kaduna.
He added: ‘By February, by God’s grace, everybody will find out if they have an opposition or not.’
The PDP candidate said his party remains active across the state and was engaging stakeholders and communities as part of its preparations for the 2027 election.
Bawa said the movement of some elected politicians from the PDP after the 2023 elections had not destroyed the party’s grassroots structure, insisting that its supporters remained with it.
‘The structure they used is a PDP structure. That structure still remains the way it is. The same people that voted for them, those supporters that have actually been following day and night, they are still there in PDP,’ he added.
He said the party would build its 2027 campaign around the existing structure, while seeking to expand its support across the state.
‘We have our party. The structure is still intact, and that is the same structure we’re using for 2027. We believe in 2027 we’ll get more votes,’ Bawa said.
The former House of Representatives member also said the PDP would prioritise direct engagement with voters rather than relying mainly on rallies, billboards and other conventional campaign activities.
‘It is not by rally or by putting billboards that will give you victory,’ he said.