Taraba 2027: Ishaka Bawa’s Emergence as APM Guber Candidate Splits Southern Taraba Votes

The emergence of former House of Representatives Chief Whip, Hon. Ishaka Bawa, as the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) is expected to further fragment the traditionally strong voting bloc of Southern Taraba in the 2027 governorship election.

Southern Taraba has historically been regarded as an important voting bloc in state elections, with political actors often relying on the zone’s ability to mobilise votes behind preferred candidates.

However, the 2027 governorship contest is shaping up differently, with several candidates emerging from the zone and potentially dividing its votes among competing political platforms.

A political analyst who spoke on the development said the number of governorship candidates from Southern Taraba could weaken the zone’s traditional influence at the polls.

“Almost every local government in Southern Taraba has at least one governorship candidate. In fact, Wukari has about three. This will weaken the voting strength of the zone in the next election,” the analyst said.

Among the prominent candidates from the zone are Senator Emmanuel Bwacha of the PDP from Donga; Ishaka Bawa of the APM from Ibi; Governor Agbu Kefas of the APC from Wukari; and Danjuma Usman Shiddi, popularly known as Danji SS, of the APGA, who is associated with the Wukari/Takum axis.

Other candidates include Stephen Aboki Bayonga of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and Josiah Wukari Wasa of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), further expanding the field of candidates with political roots in the southern part of the state.

The development has intensified discussions over whether Southern Taraba can maintain its traditional bloc-voting pattern in the forthcoming election.

Bawa’s emergence has attracted particular attention because of his political history and experience at both the state and federal levels.

In an assessment of his political career, Gaddafi Ibrahim Tanko, Esq., described Bawa as an experienced political actor who has played a significant role in Taraba politics over the years.

Bawa entered the Taraba State House of Assembly in 1999 and rose to become Majority Leader of the House.

He later moved to the House of Representatives, where he held several legislative positions, including Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation and pioneer Chairman of the Committee on Constituency Outreach.

He also chaired the Ad Hoc Committee on the Petroleum Industry Bill and subsequently emerged as Chief Whip of the Seventh House of Representatives.

Tanko said Bawa’s legislative responsibilities demonstrated the confidence placed in him by colleagues and political leaders during his years in the National Assembly.

His emergence as the APM governorship candidate has now added another dimension to the 2027 political contest in Taraba, particularly in Southern Taraba where established political camps are already preparing for a competitive election.

Bawa is also attracting attention because of his religious and political identity, with supporters presenting his candidacy as an attempt to challenge established political calculations in the state.

His candidacy is therefore expected to influence the political calculations of the major parties, particularly in Southern Taraba, where the concentration of governorship aspirants could make it difficult for any single candidate to secure the traditional bloc support of the zone.