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Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, governorship aspirant of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Nasarawa State, has cautioned his supporters against insulting political opponents, urging them to respond to criticism by showcasing his achievements and what he plans to do if elected governor in 2027.
Wadada gave the advice while addressing members and stakeholders of the Wadada Project in Keffi on Sunday, where he also urged his supporters to preach peace and convince the people with facts and ideas rather than engage in abusive political exchanges.
He said whenever his opponents attacked or insulted him, his supporters should resist the temptation to respond with insults but should instead present his scorecard as a member of the National Assembly and explain the programmes contained in his proposed agenda for Nasarawa State.
According to him, the best response to political attacks is to tell the people what he has done and what he intends to do when given the opportunity to govern the state.
Wadada said Governor Abdullahi Sule’s administration had also made the task of political engagement easier for his supporters because virtually every local government area and community in the state had benefited from one project or another executed by the administration.
He said such projects provided his supporters with concrete examples to present to the people when explaining the performance of the present administration and the need for continuity of development.
“I don’t want you to insult anybody. Whenever they insult me, show them my scorecard. Tell them what I have done and what I have said I will do when I become governor,” Wadada told the supporters.
He urged members of the movement to make peace a central message of their political engagement, stressing that political differences should not be allowed to degenerate into hostility.
Wadada said no amount of blackmail or intimidation would force him or his supporters to abandon their political ambition, urging them to remain focused and disciplined throughout the campaign.
He maintained that politics in a democracy was not about issuing commands or compelling people to follow a particular candidate, but about engaging the electorate, presenting ideas and convincing them to support a particular ideology.
“Politics is not command. It is about speaking to the people and convincing them to see reasons with your ideology,” he said.
The senator said the growing structure of the Wadada Project across the state was an indication that supporters understood the political realities ahead of the 2027 election.
“We know what time it is, because we know where we are coming from, and we know where we are going to,” he said.
Wadada also acknowledged the role of Governor Sule’s administration in the development of Nasarawa State, saying the governor’s achievements had provided inspiration for his own proposed development agenda.
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He said his “Heart Agenda” was designed to address critical areas of development, including education, institutional development, unity, mining and economic advancement.
“I have got inspiration and motivation by the governor of the day, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, who has changed the narrative of the political enclave called Nasarawa State. For that inspiration and motivation, I’ve got the Heart Agenda to deliver to the people of Nasarawa State,” he said.
Wadada, who represents Nasarawa West Senatorial District, also presented his interim scorecard as a senator, covering what he described as his legislative activities and projects since his election to the Senate.
He said his record in the National Assembly remained part of the evidence upon which his supporters should base their campaign.
Earlier, Chairman of the Wadada Project, Hon. Kwanta Yakubu, said the coalition of stakeholders and support groups backing Wadada was motivated by conviction rather than financial inducement.
Yakubu said those participating in the movement were not under duress but were people who believed in Wadada’s capacity to provide purposeful leadership for Nasarawa State.
He described Wadada as patient, humble and committed to the development of the state, recalling his previous governorship ambition and the manner in which he accepted the outcome of the contest.
Yakubu said Wadada subsequently served for eight years in the House of Representatives before moving to the Senate, describing him as an active participant in national politics rather than a passive legislator.
“We don’t believe in you because you have money to give. We believe in you because those credentials speak for you, and you have the capacity to bring progress to the people of Nasarawa,” Yakubu said.
He said Wadada had developed an agenda that speaks to education, institutions, unity, universities, mining and the broader development of Nasarawa State.
Yakubu further argued that democratic politics was about persuasion rather than command, saying politicians must convince the electorate through their ideas, character and records.
He said the growing support for the Wadada Project was being organised from the local government areas down to wards and units as part of efforts to build a strong grassroots political structure ahead of 2027.
Wadada, while thanking members of the movement for their commitment, said he might not have the financial resources to reward everyone individually but assured them that their sacrifices would not be in vain.
He called on the supporters to remain united, peaceful and disciplined, insisting that the project must be driven by ideas, records and conviction rather than the abuse of political opponents.
