The Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Danladi Jatau, has lost his bid to represent Keffi/Karu/Kokona Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in 2027 following his defeat in the just-concluded All Progressives Congress primaries in Nasarawa State.
Jatau was defeated by Daniel Ogazi, who secured 13,083 votes, while the Speaker polled 5,873 votes in the contest.
The APC primaries also produced major upsets as two serving members of the House of Representatives lost their return tickets in their respective federal constituencies.
The affected lawmakers are Mohammed Abdulmumini Ari, representing Nasarawa/Toto Federal Constituency, and Jeremiah Umaru, representing Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/Wamba Federal Constituency.
Declaring the results in Lafia on Sunday, the Chairman of the APC National Assembly Primary Elections Committee, Musa Shuaibu Guri, described the exercise as free, fair and credible across the 13 local government areas of the state.
According to him, the committee conducted the exercise in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act and the party’s internal guidelines.
Among the winners announced was Mohammed Al-Bashir, who emerged victorious for Nasarawa/Toto Federal Constituency.
For Keffi/Karu/Kokona Federal Constituency, Daniel Ogazi clinched victory over Danladi Jatau and Abdulaziz Danladi.
In Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/Wamba Federal Constituency, Tony Bala Shammah defeated incumbent lawmaker Jeremiah Umaru to secure the party’s ticket.
Meanwhile, former governor Mohammed Al-Makura emerged as the APC candidate for Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency through a consensus arrangement after his rival, Isaac Kigbu, withdrew from the race on Saturday.
Guri noted that results for the Awe/Doma/Keana Federal Constituency were still being collated and would be announced later.
He appealed to all aspirants, both winners and losers, to unite and work together for the progress of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The outcome of the primaries signals a major political reshuffle within the Nasarawa APC as several established figures failed to secure the party’s ticket.
What You Should Know
Danladi Jatau’s defeat is one of the biggest surprises from the Nasarawa APC primaries, considering his position as Speaker and his influence within state politics.
The loss of two incumbent federal lawmakers further highlights the growing appetite for political change within the party’s grassroots base. Such outcomes often reflect internal power shifts and evolving alliances ahead of general elections.
Mohammed Al-Makura’s smooth emergence through consensus also underscores his continued relevance in Nasarawa politics.
Overall, the results suggest APC delegates in the state are prioritising new calculations over incumbency, setting the stage for fresh political contests in 2027.
