Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has urged youths of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to lead the party’s grassroots campaign for the 2027 governorship election, with a focus on issues rather than personalities.
Lamido spoke on Saturday at a meeting with youth leaders and social media operators on platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
He described them as the party’s foot soldiers and asked them to use their energy and online influence to mobilise voters.
He said the campaign would begin in the three senatorial zones before reaching all 27 local government areas.
The youths, he said, should explain what his administration achieved between 2007 and 2015 and compare it with the record of Governor Umar Namadi’s APC government.
He also asked them to stay disciplined, build a strong presence in their communities and serve as party agents, keeping order at polling units and protecting votes.
Lamido claimed that Jigawa is “gradually dying” under the APC and that some of his administration’s achievements have been lost. “Enough is enough,” he said, in an apparent reference to hardship in the state. He added: “We are proud of Jigawa State and we are patriotic citizens of the state. We will work tirelessly to bring development to the state.”
State chairman Babandi Ibrahim Gumel backed the plan. He commended the participants, who included youth leaders from across the local governments, influencers and radio users, for promoting the party and protecting its image, and urged them to keep up the momentum.
He said the meeting was meant to strengthen communication between party leaders and young supporters.
The Director-General of the PDP Campaign Council in Jigawa, Shehu Liman, said the party is preparing its youths and influencers for an issue-based campaign. He urged them to compare the PDP’s record with that of the present administration, using evidence, and said the party will market its candidates by presenting its record and its plans if returned to power.
Lamido governed Jigawa from May 29, 2007, to May 29, 2015, on the PDP platform. He was succeeded by Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of the APC, who handed over to his deputy, Namadi, in May 2023. The PDP has picked Lamido’s son, Mustapha Sule Lamido, as its candidate for 2027. Mustapha lost to Namadi in 2023.
The meeting is part of the PDP’s effort to strengthen its youth and media structures ahead of the election. The APC and Namadi’s government have not responded to the claims, and both should be given the chance to reply.