Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has nominated the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS), Jerry Adams, as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election in the state.
Sani announced the nomination on Tuesday in a statement posted on his X handle. He described it as a reaffirmation of his administration’s commitment to inclusion, fairness and justice.
The governor said the nomination followed “wide consultations, deep reflection and earnest prayers.”
“Today, we take another decisive step in our collective journey towards building a more united, peaceful and inclusive Kaduna State.
“After wide consultations, deep reflection and earnest prayers, I am delighted to announce the nomination of Mr. Jerry Adams, FCTI, FNIM, CNA, as my running mate in the 2027 Governorship Election.
“This decision is far greater than the selection of a deputy governorship candidate. It is a reaffirmation of the values that have guided our administration since I took the oath of office on 29 May 2023; the values of inclusion, justice, fairness, equity and the unwavering conviction that every citizen of Kaduna State deserves a genuine sense of belonging,” he wrote.
The governor further urged Kaduna residents to look beyond ethnic and religious considerations ahead of the polls.
“As we look towards 2027, I invite every son and daughter of Kaduna State to see this moment not through the narrow prism of religion, ethnicity or geography, but through the broader vision of the Kaduna we are building together; a Kaduna where every child can dream without fear, every community can flourish, every faith is respected & every citizen has an equal stake in our common future,” he said.
Sani described Adams as “an accomplished public servant, an outstanding tax administrator and an institution builder” whose leadership had transformed KADIRS into a respected revenue agency.
“Beyond his impressive professional accomplishments, Jerry Adams is a man of integrity, humility and quiet strength. He has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to peace, reconciliation and inclusive governance, believing, as I do, that Kaduna’s diversity must always unite us rather than divide us.
“His emergence reflects our continuing determination to build a Kaduna where merit, competence and character remain the true qualifications for leadership,” the governor stated.
Sani’s predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai, introduced Kaduna’s first Muslim-Muslim governorship ticket in 2019 when he dropped his Christian deputy, Barnabas Bantex, and picked Hadiza Balarabe, a fellow Muslim from Southern Kaduna, as his running mate.
The decision sparked opposition from Christian groups and other stakeholders, who argued that it departed from Kaduna’s long-standing tradition of balancing the governorship ticket between Muslims and Christians in the state.
When Uba Sani succeeded El-Rufai in 2023, he retained Balarabe as his running mate.
