By Francis Nansak, Lafia
From the ground and by his record of service, Dr Faisal Shuaib enters the Nasarawa West race with clear momentum to succeed Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu after he conceded by integrity to obey the choice of Governor Abdullahi Sule,With Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu who now is pursuing the governorship of Nasarawa State, the senatorial district is open up, and Shuaib’s blend of technocratic credibility, grassroots reach, and alignment with the APC structure positions him as the frontrunner.
Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu currently holds the Nasarawa West seat and commands strong name recognition across Karu, Keffi, Kokona, Nasarawa and Toto LGAs. His decision to run for governor creates a rare open seat in a district that usually rewards incumbency.
Voters in Nasarawa West tend to favor continuity of party and ideology over total disruption. Dr Shuaib stand a chance to benefit directly because he is being framed, and positioning himself, as the candidate who can protect Wadada’s legislative gains while bringing a different skill.
Dr Faisal Shuaib is not a career politician in the traditional sense. He built national profile as Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, leading Nigeria’s polio eradication and COVID-19 vaccination efforts. In Nasarawa West, that matters. The district has a mix of urban sprawl in Karu and Keffi, farming communities in Kokona and Toto, and border trade issues. His background signals competence in health, emergency response, and federal liaison, issues constituents raise constantly about clinics, drugs, and federal projects.
That technocratic brand helps him appeal to both elite stakeholders and voters tired of rhetoric.
Nasarawa West has rotated power among Keffi and Nasarawa axis for over Two decades , precisely since 1999, APC remains dominant at both state and federal levels in the district. If Shuaib secures the Senate seat, he automatically inherits the party’s structure, council chairmen, and the governor’s campaign network that will also be mobilizing for Wadada’s governorship bid.
That alignment creates a double ticket effect people voting for Wadada as governor are likely to vote Dr Fiasal for Senate to keep the team intact.
In Nasarawa West, voters are pragmatic,they ask what has a candidate delivered before, and what federal connections can they Interestingly Dr.Shuaib can point to national health interventions, donor relationships, and experience navigating federal ministries, that contrasts with other contestants who are only known locally. His challenge will be to translate that national profile into town halls, ward meetings, and visible projects.
The PDP,ADC and even LP will try to frame the seat as a check on one-party dominance, especially in Karu and Toto with its large youth and migrant population,but the open seat, APC dominance, and Shuaib’s service record would give him a structural advantage as he runs a disciplined campaign focused on health infrastructure, youth employment, and federal project attraction, as well as stays aligned with the Wadada governorship movement, he has the clearest path to win Nasarawa West.
It would be recalled that come January 2027 Dr Fiasal Shuiab APC, along with Dr Kefas Kaura, PDP and Alhaji Umar Galadima of ADC will slog it out in a bid to clinching the Senate seat after senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu.Unfortunately the PDP and ADC candidates lack the muscles to withstand Dr Fiasal Shuiab for many reasons that has to do with economic impact and incumbency factor.
