Sokoto Guber Election: Major Governorship Candidates Jostling To Succeed Tambuwal

As the country prepares for the 2023 governorship election scheduled for March 11, one of the states that will participate in the exercise is Sokoto State, also known as the Seat of the Caliphate.

Sokoto state is one of the states that many people are keeping an eye on due to its strategic importance to the politics of Nigeria.

The incumbent Governor, Aminu Tambuwal would be handing over to a new democratically elected governor on May 29, 2023, after completing his two-term tenure in office.

Naija News reports that eighteen political parties will take part in the governorship election for Sokoto state and one of the flagbearers would emerge as the winner.

However, the leading candidates are Saidu Umar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Ahmed Aliyu of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Others include Dahiru Umar Tambuwal of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Isiyaku Bello of the African Democratic Party (ADC), Abubakar Haruna of the All Peoples Movement (APM), Habibu Muhammed of Zenith Party, Ibrahim Muhammed Mansur Gada of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Goronyo Ibrahim of Boot Party.

Also in the race are Muhammad Saidu Gumburawa of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Daniya Usama Sani of the Young Peoples Party (YPP), Imam Abdulrahim Chindo of the Labour Party (LP), and Aliyu Sulaiman DanDauda of the National Rescue Movement (NRM).

Action Alliance presents Ahmad Ahmad Jao, African Democratic Party (ADP) fielded Nasiru Sarki Larabawa, Social Democratic Party (SDP) has Umar Abdul-Razak, African Action Congress (AAC) with Ahmad Babajo Ibrahim and Abba Sidi Ahmed for Action Peoples Party (APP).

Read about the two leading candidates below.

Saidu Umar

Umar emerged as the PDP flagbearer through consensus arrangements in 2022. He was a former Commissioner for Finance and the immediate past Secretary to the Sokoto State Government.

He was a former banker and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of National Accountants of Nigeria (FCNA), and an Honorary Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (HSIB);

Umar is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Accountants of Nigeria (FCPA), a Senior Executive Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Economics of Nigeria (FCEN).

Ahmed Aliyu

Ahmed Aliyu is a former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State and immediate past Secretary of the Police Trust Fund (PTF). He is an accountant, an administrator, a public servant, and a politician of note, who meritoriously served the State for eight years as Honourable Commissioner of Social Welfare & Culture and Health.

He is a Fellow of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, a holder of two Masters’ degrees, and a Doctorate degree (Ph.D) candidate. Ahmed Aliyu who was born 48 years ago on the 1st day of January 1970.