Former National Assembly member Senator Yakubu Lado Danmarke has emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Katsina State. The announcement was made on Sunday afternoon during the party's Gubernatorial Primary Election held at the PDP state headquarters in the metropolitan area.
Primary Election Details
Although Danmarke was the consensus aspirant, the former lawmaker still underwent a voting process involving more than 77,000 delegates. The Chairman of the PDP Gubernatorial Primary Election, who also served as the Returning Officer, Barr. Nuradeen Mamman Sani, declared Danmarke as the duly elected candidate for the 2027 general election. Barr. Sani reported that 77,085 delegates were accredited for the exercise, with 77,013 votes cast. He noted that 72 delegates did not vote as they were absent when the voting process commenced.
Danmarke's Political Journey
Danmarke, a former House of Representatives member, has contested for the gubernatorial seat on at least four occasions. These include two attempts on the PDP platform, one on the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and one on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM). He is reportedly the candidate with the most attempts at the gubernatorial position since the current democratic dispensation began in 1999.
Acceptance Speech
In his acceptance speech, Danmarke expressed gratitude to the party's leadership and stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him. He pledged that, if elected governor, he would justify the trust by promoting inclusive leadership, transparency, and people-oriented policies. According to him, “I am deeply honoured by this confidence and overwhelming support from our great party. I accept this responsibility with humility and a strong commitment to serve the people of Katsina State diligently.”
The former lawmaker assured party members that he would carry everyone along and work towards uniting the PDP at all levels. He also called on PDP members to remain steadfast and mobilise support for the party ahead of the 2027 polls. He stated that the PDP remained committed to addressing challenges facing the state, including insecurity, unemployment, and poverty.
Future Contest
Danmarke is expected to face the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and incumbent state governor, Dr. Dikko Radda, along with candidates from other political parties that are yet to conduct their gubernatorial primaries.
