The camp of former Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani, has rejected the endorsement of former Senator Shehu Sani as the preferred candidate for Kaduna Central Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The rejection followed the unanimous endorsement of Shehu Sani by stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Zone 2 of Kaduna State during a meeting held in Kaduna. The endorsement ceremony was attended by APC chairmen from the seven local government areas in the zone, council chairmen, members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, commissioners, political appointees and other stakeholders.

Speaking after the endorsement, Musa Aliyu Khalid, Campaign Director to the former Speaker, said politics should not be controlled by a single individual or group, insisting that the people would ultimately decide who emerges victorious at the polls.

He said endorsement did not automatically translate into electoral victory.

“Politics belongs to the people, not to one person alone. Just because someone is endorsed does not mean he has already won the election,” he said.

Khalid stated that the Zailani camp was not disturbed by the development, adding that the action had only revealed the true intentions of those behind the endorsement.

“We are not worried. In fact, we are happy because people have shown their true feelings and intentions. The endorsement was not done by the ordinary people of the area,” he said.

He stressed that elections would still be conducted and noted that there was still another aspirant in the race.

“There is still a candidate in the contest and people should stop actions capable of causing disunity. Truth may be bitter, but leaders must always look left and right when exercising power,” he added.

Khalid warned political actors against imposing decisions on party members and supporters, saying such actions could weaken the APC in the state.

“Politics is not about force. You cannot impose what you want on the people. Politics is about serving the people and carrying everyone along,” he said.

Drawing a comparison with the process that produced Governor Uba Sani as the APC governorship candidate in 2023, Khalid said consensus was reached after consultations among different contenders.

“When the governor contested, there were three aspirants. After consultations, the person considered capable of winning was chosen, while others were given responsibilities. That brought peace and stability,” he said.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Sadiq Mamman Lagos, who led the endorsement on Wednesday, said Shehu Sani was chosen based on his performance while representing Kaduna Central in the Senate between 2015 and 2019.

“The decision was not made by me alone; it was taken collectively by stakeholders from the seven local government areas. He was endorsed based on his integrity and political popularity,” he said.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, described Shehu Sani as a courageous politician who speaks truth to power. He advised the former senator not to allow political actors to create friction between him and Governor Uba Sani after winning the election.

Responding, Shehu Sani thanked the stakeholders and Governor Uba Sani for the confidence reposed in him. He pledged loyalty and support to the governor, describing him as a longtime ally committed to the development of Kaduna State.