Vice President Kashim Shettima has publicly identified Ahmed Aliyu Wadada as the successor to Abdullahi Sule, saying the senator “has his job cut out” as Nasarawa State prepares for a political transition in 2027.

Shettima made the remark on Wednesday while speaking at the opening of the two-day Nasarawa Investment Summit 2026 in Lafia, themed “Bold Transitions: Building a Legacy for a Sustainable Future”.

The summit is the final investment forum under Governor Sule’s administration and is focused on institutionalising economic reforms beyond the 2027 elections.

Addressing delegates that included investors, traditional rulers, political leaders, governorship aspirants and members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, the vice president assured the investing public that Nasarawa’s economic trajectory would remain stable regardless of who takes over from Sule.

Vice President Shettima expressed hope that, by the grace of God, Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, who was present at the summit, would succeed Governor Abdullahi Sule and ensure the continuity and sustainability of the state’s investment drive.

He said the assurance was critical to maintaining investor confidence as the state approaches the 2027 political transition.

“I want to assure the investing public that by the grace of God, seated in our midst here is the next governor of Nasarawa. He would abide by the contract,” Shettima said.

He went on to describe Senator Wadada as a technocrat with a banking background who “cut his teeth in the banking industry” and “will continue from where Engineer A.A. Sule is going to stop”.

The vice president then turned directly to Senator Wadada, who currently represents Nasarawa West in the National Assembly and is widely regarded as Governor Sule’s preferred successor for the 2027 governorship race.

“Senator Wadada, you have your job cut out for you. We wish you well,” Shettima said to applause from the audience.

The vice president’s comments came as the summit launched the Lafia Declaration, a voluntary commitment by political parties, the legislature, judiciary, development partners and investors to sustain Nasarawa’s reform agenda beyond the next election cycle.

The declaration is intended to give investors confidence that contracts and policies will remain intact after the transition.

Shettima concluded by emphasising that “the greatest gift any leader can leave is the certainty that progress will survive after him”, describing continuity anchored in competence and character as “Nigeria’s next competitive advantage”. (The Sun)