Shehu Usman Bawa, the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Kaduna State, said the PDP will return to power in the state in the 2027 governorship election, while outlining plans for security and community-led development at his campaign office in Kaduna. The remarks were reported by Vanguard.
Bawa, popularly known as ABG, told journalists his campaign was engaging stakeholders across the state to explain why voters should remove the ruling administration. “We were actually going out to enlighten the public on why they need to vote this government out,” he said, according to Vanguard.
On development, Bawa said public funds must be used to meet priorities identified by communities. He described his proposed approach as “bottom-to-top,” adding that government should consult residents before deciding which projects to execute. “These are public funds. All these monies do not belong to anybody. If you have projects that are a priority for a particular constituency, we should do the needful,” he said, according to Vanguard.
He criticised the present administration for selecting projects without first determining local needs. Bawa gave the example of constructing roads where communities might instead need potable water or medical centres, and said his administration would prioritise what residents identify as urgent.
Security formed a core part of his remarks. Bawa said his administration would pursue a strategy aimed at preventing attacks rather than only responding after incidents occur. “You don’t have to wait for them to attack for you to protect them. You go for them. You follow them right where they are,” he said. Bawa added his campaign had engaged security experts to help design the strategy. “We already have consultants that are working for us on how to tackle this security issue,” he said, according to Vanguard.
Responding to claims by the All Progressives Congress that Kaduna lacks strong opposition, Bawa questioned the assertion. “If there’s no opposition, why are they worried?” he asked, and said the contest would be decided at the polls. “By February, by God’s grace, everybody will find out if they have an opposition or not,” he added, according to Vanguard.
Bawa also alleged that opposition parties faced obstacles in buying billboard space in parts of the state. “We actually paid to put our billboards. We called some of the numbers, and the billboard people would ask you, ‘Which party are you? If you are not in APC, they won’t put your billboard,'” he alleged, according to Vanguard.
On party organisation, Bawa said the PDP’s grassroots structure remained intact after the 2023 elections and would form the base of mobilisation for 2027. He said the party would present a manifesto and hold candidates accountable to it if elected.
The comments were published by Vanguard on 27 September 2026. The report said the interaction took place at Bawa’s campaign office in Kaduna.
Reporting by Vanguard, link: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2026/09/2027-pdpll-reclaim-kaduna-bawa-declares
Featured image: Caveman Caveman Caveman via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
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