Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris has dropped his deputy, Umar Tafida, as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election. He instead picked former Commissioner for Finance Ibrahim Augie as his replacement.

The National Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Suleiman Argungu, disclosed this development on Sunday in Birnin Kebbi during a gathering of supporters from the Argungu Emirate.

Argungu said legal advice was sought before the decision was taken, particularly in relation to the litigations surrounding the 2023 election involving the incumbent deputy governor.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the unveiling, Governor Idris said he had no personal disagreement with Tafida, describing the change as a political decision.

Senior Special Assistant to the Kebbi State Deputy Governor on New Media, Yahaya Danjadda, has debunked claims that his principal was aware of the meeting where the purported new running mate to Governor Nasir Idris for the 2027 governorship election was unveiled.

Danjadda made this known in a post on his Facebook handle, where he stated that nobody had consulted his principal before presenting a candidate for the position of Deputy Governor.

According to him, the claim that the deputy governor was aware of the meeting was an attempt to tarnish his image.

He maintained that his principal was not consulted regarding the purported choice of a replacement for the position.