: Can ADC Break APC’s Stronghold in Jigawa by 2027?
By Cmrd Joel UDEH | April 30, 2026
Power, once settled, rarely moves without resistance. But in Jigawa State, the ground is shifting and the tremors are becoming impossible to ignore.
As the 2027 general elections approach, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is no longer a fringe player. It is emerging as a calculated disruptor to the long-standing dominance of the All Progressives Congress (APC). At the center of this evolving narrative stands a man whose influence cuts through both structure and sentiment, Hon. Ahmed Mahmoud Gumel, widely known as Kulkuli.
A New Leadership Equation
Leadership in politics is not just about position. it is about weight. And Gumel brings both.
A former Deputy Governor of Jigawa State (2007–2015), his return to frontline politics as the ADC state coordinator signals more than a routine appointment. It represents the injection of institutional memory, financial acumen, and grassroots capital into a party once considered peripheral.
Under his watch, the ADC is no longer speaking in whispers. It is projecting itself as a credible alternative targeting a voter base increasingly fatigued by familiar promises and predictable outcomes.
The Tide Is Turning
Three forces are quietly, but decisively, reshaping Jigawa’s political landscape:
1. Strategic Defections
The ADC has recorded a wave of high profile defections, most notably Senator Sabo Muhammad Nakudu. This is not just movement it is momentum. In politics, perception often precedes victory, and the optics are tilting.
2. The Kulkuli Brand
Gumel’s reputation as a disciplined administrator and youth-aligned leader has positioned him as a rallying point. His legacy as a former finance commissioner and political financier reinforces a narrative of competence, something voters are beginning to prioritize over party loyalty.
3. Voter Recalibration
There is a growing appetite for governance anchored on justice, equity, and inclusion. The ADC’s messaging is not accidental. it is strategic, tapping into dissatisfaction with the status quo while offering a framework of renewal.
APC’s Defensive Playbook
To its credit, the APC is not folding.
Governor Umar Namadi has intensified grassroots engagement, deploying reconciliation committees and consolidating party structures across locally governments. Reports of over 66,000 defectors joining the APC suggest a counter mobilization strategy designed to neutralize opposition gains.
This is classic incumbency leverage structure, scale, and speed.
2027: A Contest of Structure vs Sentiment
The emerging battle line in Jigawa is no longer binary. It is strategic.
On one side stands the APC anchored in incumbency, institutional control, and established networks. On the other stands the ADC leaner, but increasingly energized by a coalition of new entrants, shifting loyalties, and the catalytic presence of Kulkuli.
The implication is clear: 2027 will not be decided by tradition. It will be decided by traction.
The Bottom Line
The “Kulkuli Factor” has done what few political variables achieve, it has introduced uncertainty into a previously predictable equation.
Whether the ADC can fully dismantle APC’s dominance remains an open question. But one reality is now firmly established: Jigawa is no longer a guaranteed stronghold.
And in politics, once certainty is broken, anything becomes possible.
Cmrd Joel UDEH
Media and Communications Department
Non-Indigenes Jigawa State ADC Vanguard
