By NEXTER
Thousands of supporters of Dr. Faisal Shuaib, a frontline gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State, defied torrential rains to welcome him to Nasarawa South in conclusion of his statewide consultation and appreciation of his supporters.
Drenched in the heavy downpours, Dr. Shuaib was seen on foot amidst enthusiastic throngs of supporters to appreciate them for their continued support and confidence in his ability to serve the state come 2027.
He was at the state capital, Lafia, to acknowledge responses, regards and recommendations of his loyalists on his next line of action following Governor Abdullahi Sule’s endorsement of Sen. Ahmed Wadada as his preferred successor.
The rains which lasted for over two hours disrupted proceedings, however, some loyalists described it as a “divine testament of victory ahead”.
Addressing the crowds from the southern zone which included Lafia, Doma, Awe, Keana and Obi local government areas, Dr. Shuaib thanked them for demonstrating resilience and uncommon faith in him, noting that the visit was not to campaign but to pay tributes to the people of the zone for their unflinching call.
“This is the time we need to thank each and every one of you for your support, thank our leaders and to assure you that better days are ahead. We have heard your calls and options for us from you as those who called on us to contest. We thank you and we will respond accordingly”. a drenched Dr. Shuaib told a joyous crowd.
The rally which began from the Lafia city gate was in furtherance of his statewide appreciation visit with trail of jubilant youths, women, political leaders and residents who turned out in large numbers unperturbed with the rains to welcome him, dancing in solidarity.
In an interview, a youth leader, Elayo Confidence, said “DFS has all that we need in a leader. He’s a servant-leader who is experienced, grassroots-based and people-centric”.
Also speaking, Amina Sani, a 76-year-old woman leader, said young people should look at competent and reliable politicians who will deliver on any promises made, recalling her experience as a young politician over four decades ago.
“I have seen this my brother as a good man who can do it. He is not just saying it but he is trustworthy. So, we’ll be with him till the end”.
“You can see how we all walked in the rains despite the downpours. Our love for him is total and unconditional because at my age I’m not after money but for sustainable leadership for my grandchildren,” she said.
Observers believe that the scale and organisation of the statewide rallies suggest a shift from traditional, elite-driven gatherings to a more strategic and grassroots-based model.
A political analyst, Musa Yohanna believes that “DFS’ style of politics is intended to eliminate internal divisions and to build a single, disciplined political front that is forward-looking”.
