Nigerian Christians Warn of Political Exclusion as Nasarawa’s Ruling Party Selects All‑Muslim Slate for 2027

Christian leaders say the APC’s 2027 nominations shut out Christian contenders across key offices, warning that political exclusion could inflame tensions in Nigeria’s conflict‑prone Middle Belt.

By Ekani Olikita

LAFIA, Nigeria — Political tensions are rising in Nigeria’s predominantly Christian Nasarawa State amid allegations that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) manipulated its 2027 primary elections to favor Muslim candidates. 

Christian community leaders, traditional authorities and civil-society activists say the pattern of recent political decisions has deepened fears of religious exclusion, while warning that the controversy could trigger a wider political realignment before the 2027 elections.

The allegations center on the claim that the APC has positioned Muslim politicians to control the governorship and all three senatorial seats, despite Christians constituting a larger share of the state’s population. Nasaraw is an agrarian and a Christian majority State in the Nigerian Middle Belt (55% Christians, 40% Muslims and 5% traditional worshippers), according to Tanko Barnabas, Senior Special Aide to Doma County Chairman.

Nasarawa is a home to numerous ethnic communities, including the Alago, Eggon, Agatu, Afo, Bassa, Gbagyi, Gwandara, Hausa, Jukun, Migili, Mada, Tiv and others. The state has four emirate councils predominantly associated with Muslim traditional rulers and 18 chiefdoms headed by traditional rulers from other ethnic groups. 

Disputed Political Changes

The controversy over candidates intensified following the death of Senator Mrs. Godiya Akwashiki, a Christian who represented Nasarawa North, on December 31, 2025.

During the June 20, 2026, bye-election to replace her, Christian political activists alleged that Mrs. Angela Aya Bako, described as the leading female Christian contender, was disqualified or otherwise prevented from securing the APC nomination. Danladi Halilu-Envulu Anza, a Muslim, subsequently emerged as the APC candidate and won the seat. 

His victory marked the first time a Muslim politician has represented Nasarawa North in the National Assembly, according to local political observers.

The controversy continued in the APC’s 2027 senatorial primaries.

Governor Abdullahi Sule, a Muslim, was declared the APC’s consensus candidate for Nasarawa North after his tenure as governor expires, effectively displacing former Deputy Governor Silas Ali Agara, a Christian, according to party critics.

In Nasarawa South, Deputy Governor Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe, a Christian, reportedly won the APC senatorial primary but was later replaced by Muslim candidate Abubakar Nalaraba.

Dr. Faisal Shuaib, also a Muslim, emerged as the APC candidate for Nasarawa West.

Christians Completely Denied from Governing Nasarawa State 

The Marginalization of Christians is most pronounced in the race for the Governor’s seat of Nasarawa State as no Christian had governed the State since its creation on October 1, 1996, as all the past democratically elected Governors from Abdullahi Adamu (1999-2007) to Aliyu Akwe Doma (2007-2011), Umar Tanko Al-Makura (2011-2019), Abdullahi Sule (2019-present date) were all Muslims.

Another Muslim and the incumbent Senator representing Nasarawa West, Sen Ahmed Aliyu Wadada has been selected by APC to succeed Governor Sule in 2027.

Critics therefore argue that Muslims could control all three senatorial districts as well as the governorship if the APC retains power in 2027.

The APC and Governor Sule have not, in the material reviewed for this report, publicly acknowledged that the party’s candidate-selection decisions were based on religion or intended to marginalize Christians.

Traditional Leaders Raise Alarm

Chief Mandy Dave, National President of the Eggon Cultural and Development Association Worldwide, condemned what he described as the marginalization of Christians in a phone interview with TruthNigeria.

“This manipulation stands condemned. This is a harbinger of disunity and shouldn’t be allowed,” Chief Mandy said.

Mandy also pointed to the state’s governorship, noting that no Christian has served as governor since Nasarawa was created on October 1, 1996.

“Since the creation of the state, Christians have never occupied the governorship. That alone should make every citizen concerned about fairness and political inclusion,” Mandy told TruthNigeria.

John Abu, a resident of Lafia, said many Christians believe their long-standing political tolerance has been mistaken for weakness.

“Since the creation of Nasarawa State, the Muslims are hellbent never to allow a Christian to lead the state as Governor even though we are more than them in population and we never complained.”

He added: “This latest marginalization by the APC government won’t stand. We shall unite and vote for candidates of other parties who are Christians in 2027″, he told TruthNigeria 

Alago, Migili Leaders React

Oso Donald, an Alago tribal leader in Doma County, who spoke to a TruthNigeria Correspondent, said the controversy extends beyond Christianity and threatens the traditional balance among Nasarawa’s ethnic communities.

“What is happening is bigger than one political party. When one religious bloc appears to dominate the most important elective positions, other communities begin to feel that their voices no longer matter. That is dangerous for the unity of Nasarawa.”

A Migili tribal leader in Keana, Bala Oseni similarly warned that political exclusion could create ethnic and religious resentment.

“We want leaders chosen because of competence, integrity and broad acceptance—not because of religion. If people believe elections are being manipulated against them, confidence in democracy will suffer”, Oseni told TruthNigeria 

Security Implications

Dennis Bulama, a Conflict Resolution Analyst with Nasarawa State University, who follows conflicts in the Middle Belt said the political dispute should not be dismissed as ordinary electoral rivalry.

“Religious and ethnic exclusion can become a security issue when communities already feel economically or physically threatened. If political grievances are allowed to combine with existing communal tensions, the result could be protests, polarization and potentially violence,” Bulama told TruthNigeria 

The analyst urged political parties and electoral authorities to ensure transparent primaries and credible dispute-resolution mechanisms before the 2027 elections.

Civil Society Condemns Alleged Exclusion

The Integrity Youth Alliance, a sociocultural organization in Nasarawa, has also accused the APC of marginalizing Christians through its candidate-selection process. 

“The recent political developments within the APC have created widespread concern among many Christians who feel increasingly excluded from the party’s power-sharing arrangements,” the organization said in a statement attributed to its spokesperson, Danjuma Lamido.

The allegations now place Nasarawa’s 2027 elections under heightened scrutiny.

For the United States and other international partners monitoring Nigeria, the dispute is significant because political exclusion along religious lines can compound existing concerns about democratic governance, freedom of religion and communal stability in the country’s conflict-prone Middle Belt.

Ekani Olikita is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.

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