The political temperature in Niger State rose on Wednesday as youths in Gabas/Kudu Ward, Lapai Local Government Area, publicly set brooms ablaze and declared support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mohammed Nami, ahead of the 2027 election.
Hundreds of brooms were reportedly gathered and set on fire as the youths danced, sang solidarity songs and pledged their support for Nami.
The group, which identified itself as the Kananan Kwari Support Group for Nami, was said to be led by a prominent politician from the ward.
The development has introduced a fresh political dimension to the contest in Lapai, particularly because Gabas/Kudu has been described by an APC chieftain as a traditional stronghold of the ruling party.
An APC chieftain, Mohammed Bello, who disclosed the development to journalists in Minna, described it as a setback for the party, claiming that the ward had remained under APC control since 2015.
“This is a setback for the APC because the party has remained in control of the ward since 2015. It is a pointer to the danger ahead of the 2027 elections in the area,” Bello said.
The ward is also the political base of APC stalwart Muazu Jantabo, the current Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The reported mobilisation comes as parties in Niger intensify grassroots activity ahead of the 2027 governorship election. The PDP formally adopted Nami as its governorship candidate in August after other aspirants stepped aside in his favour.
For opposition supporters, the gathering represents an indication of changing political alignments at the grassroots.
However, the reported development also comes against the backdrop of continuing political realignments in Niger State, where some members of the APC have reportedly moved toward opposition platforms.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has reportedly attracted a significant share of such defectors, adding another layer to the emerging three-way political contest involving the APC, PDP and other opposition forces.
The APC’s internal challenges have also become part of the political conversation ahead of 2027, with disagreements reportedly persisting after its nomination processes.
Meanwhile, Nami has intensified his engagement with communities since emerging as the PDP candidate, positioning the party for another attempt to regain the governorship it lost to the APC in 2015.
The burning of the brooms in Lapai therefore offers a striking snapshot of the political realignments now taking place at ward level—but the extent to which the reported mobilisation translates into votes will only become clear when the electorate eventually goes to the polls.