Governorship candidates and political parties across the country have begun intensifying campaigns for the 2027 elections, unveiling policy agendas centred on security, agriculture, education, healthcare, workers’ welfare and economic development.
From the North-West to the South-East and South-West, the candidates are seeking to frame the contests around competing programmes, while parties and political actors are also making early appeals for peaceful, issue-based campaigns.
The development follows the formal commencement of the governorship campaign period on Wednesday, September 9, setting the stage for a contest in which security, the economy, social services and the welfare of citizens are expected to feature prominently.
The seven African Democratic Congress governorship candidates in the North-West have signed a regional compact pledging a N110,000 minimum wage, 21 specialist hospitals and coordinated measures to tackle insecurity, education and economic challenges.
The Northwest ADC Governorship Candidates’ Compact 2027–2031, signed on Wednesday at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, outlines a joint agenda covering security, agriculture, healthcare, education, infrastructure and regional economic cooperation.
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and Kebbi ADC governorship candidate, Abubakar Malami, SAN, who read the communiqué, said the candidates would retain responsibility for their individual states while collaborating on challenges that cross state boundaries.
“Where our people’s problems cross our borders, we commit to govern together to resolve them,” the communiqué stated.
Under the pact, the candidates pledged to introduce a N110,000 minimum wage across the seven states, coordinate security operations, share data, promote cross-border trade and pursue joint infrastructure projects.
They also promised technology-driven surveillance and rapid-response networks across the region’s 21 senatorial districts, including drone deployment and a Northwest Regional Security Coordination Centre.
On agriculture, they proposed protected farming corridors, formalised livestock production, agro-processing, a regional grain reserve and irrigation rehabilitation.
The candidates also pledged to declare an emergency on education, expand access to Universal Basic Education Commission funding, integrate Almajiri and Tsangaya children into formal education, improve girls’ school attendance and strengthen teacher recruitment and training.
In healthcare, they promised to revitalise primary healthcare centres, expand midwifery, telemedicine and community health insurance, and establish one specialist hospital in each of the region’s 21 senatorial districts.
Regional infrastructure, including roads, rail, power, water, digital connectivity and border and logistics facilities, was also listed as a priority.
Malami said the compact was intended to ensure that public resources produced measurable improvements in citizens’ lives.
“We commit to reform with responsibility, relief with accountability, and growth our citizens can feel,” he said.
Malami, Manir Mohammad Dan’iya of Sokoto, Sabo Mohammed Nakudu of Jigawa and Bilyaminu Yusuf Shinkafi of Zamfara were among those who signed the compact. The Katsina, Kaduna and Kano candidates were represented by their deputies.
In Adamawa, APC governorship candidate Tijani Galadima unveiled an agenda built around agriculture and security, promising to establish processing factories to help farmers earn more from their produce.
Speaking at a press conference in Yola, Galadima said investment in agriculture would generate revenue, create jobs and support an industrial transformation of the state.
“Our farmers are getting far less for what they are producing. It is those that are processing their farm products that are benefiting from our farmers’ sweat,” he said.
He also identified insecurity as a major obstacle to agricultural production and promised to address it to enable farmers to return to their farms.
Galadima said he would build on what he described as the foundation laid by the administration of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and urged candidates to avoid personal attacks.
“We should focus on what we can do for the state, instead of name-calling of other contestants,” he said
