BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – One of Nigeria’s key opposition parties, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has shaken up things for the 2027 general elections by unveiling a high-profile roster of 28 governorship and deputy governorship flag-bearers across the country.
Sign-posting the party’s aggressive push to challenge the established political order of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the strategic rollout features heavy political artillery, including former Kaduna State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Isa Ashiru, and former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, currently facing trial brought against him the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged money laundering and asset concealment.
Similarly, the party also unveiled Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita in Katsina, the Labour Party (PL) governorship candidate for Lagos State in the 2023 general election, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and Great Ogboru, a perenial contestant in the Delta State governorship race. Ogboru ran for the seat in 2003, 2007, 2015under the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), and Labour Party (LP). He was also the nominee for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019 and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2023.
The Governorship standard-bearers spread across both the Northern and Southern geo-political zones were announced in a statement on Friday, by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the party who said: “These men and women will carry the ADC banner and our commitment to offer Nigerians credible leadership and a real alternative.”
The statement, posted on X by the ADC Spokesman, also indicated that popular names like Modibbo Hammantukur Ribadu for Adamawa State and Senator Halliru Dauda Jika for Bauchi State
According to the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), race for the respective State houses will officially kick-off on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, across all the participating states.
Political commentators are already upbeat that with the comprehensive candidate list now released, the battle lines are drawn and the countdown to election day has begun.
Meanwhile, the remaining states, Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Ondo, and Osun, are not participating in the 2027 gubernatorial cycle due to their off-cycle election schedules.
Here is the full list:
- Abia: Governor – Kalu Kalu Agu; Deputy Governor – Alozie Ogidimma Darlington
- Adamawa: Governor – Modibbo Hammantukur Ribadu; Deputy Governor – Aguwa Kevin Iliya
- Akwa Ibom: Governor – Akpanudoedehe John James; Deputy Governor – Nsien Mkpombuk Tommy
- Bauchi: Governor – Sen. Halliru Dauda Jika; Deputy Governor – Sama’ila Mohammed Kabir
- Benue: Governor – Rt. Hon. Herman Iorwase Hembe; Deputy Governor – Abba John Abba
- Borno: Governor – Babagana Buhari; Deputy Governor – Mamman Dauda
- Cross River: Governor – Nkoyo Toyo; Deputy Governor – Okwoche Andrew Adagbor
- Delta: Governor – Chief Great Ogboru; Deputy Governor – Afiari Gloria
- Ebonyi: Governor – Ukpai Mba Udeh; Deputy Governor – Onwe Daniel Ede
- Enugu: Governor – Ocho Obodoze Chukwuma; Deputy Governor – Eze Arinze Christopher
- Gombe: Governor – Bala Bello; Deputy Governor – Bala Sani Isa
- Jigawa: Governor – Sabo Mohammed Nakudu; Deputy Governor – Musa Ya’u Balarabe
- Kaduna: Governor – Isa Mohammed Ashiru; Deputy Governor – Kantiok Irmiya Ishaku
- Kano: Governor – Ibrahim Ali Amin; Deputy Governor – Shehu Abdulkadir Bari
- Kastina: Governor – Sen. Ahmad Babba Kaita; Deputy Governor – Aminu Yar’adua Ahmed
- Kebbi: Governor – Abubakar Malami; Deputy Governor – Zagi Musa Mohammed
- Kwara: Governor – Zakari Mohammed; Deputy Governor – Olawuyi Julius Olayide
- Lagos State: Governor – Gbadebo Rhodes Vivour; Deputy Governor – Gbadamosi Babatunde Olalere
- Nasarawa: Governor – Nuhu Angbazo — Deputy Governor Ahmed Yusuf
- Niger: Dr. Mohammed Kpautagi — Governor; Musa Mamman — Deputy Governor
- Ogun: Biodun Collins Ogundipe — Governor; Muraina Oluwaranti Oluyemi — Deputy Governor
- Oyo: Taofeek Adegboyega Adegoke — Governor; Wahab Adeniyi — Deputy Governor
- Plateau: Brig. Gen. John Sunday Sura — Governor; Pwajok-Kele Chundung Bitrus — Deputy Governor
- Rivers: Gabriel Pidomson — Governor; Okumgba David Amapakaye — Deputy Governor
- Sokoto: Manir Mohammad Daniya — Governor; Isah Bello Ambarura — Deputy Governor
- Taraba: Abubakar Umar Tutare — Governor; Kwetishe Haruna Kwenyan — Deputy Governor
- Yobe: Kassim G. Gaidam — Governor; Kori Lawan Mohammed — Deputy Governor
- Zamfara: Shinkafi Bilyaminu Yusuf — Governor; Muhammad Abdulmuddalib Auwal — Deputy Governor
