2 Retired IGPs, Top Cops In 2027 Race

Retired Inspector Generals of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, and Usman Alkali Baba, have officially declared their interests to run for the governorship seats of their respective states of Nasarawa and Yobe.

The duo have insisted that their experiences  in security matters place them in vantage position to lead as the country is facing security challenges.

Apart from the IGPs, two retired Deputy Inspector Generals of Police (DIGs) Mohammed Usaini Gumel and Mohammed Ali Ari are also in the race for the Senate and House of Representatives seats in their respective states of Jigawa and Nasarawa.

There’s also former Commissioner of Police in Lagos and Benue States, Fatai Ajani Owoseni (rtd) who is running for governor  in Oyo State and a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Mohammed Ahmed who wants to go to the Senate in Gombe State.

The development has brought to the fore the observed trend among retired top policemen going into partisan politics.

In all their campaigns, the top cops say they are leveraging on their experience in leadership and crime-fighting to pursue their ambitions, saying it is required in the current dispensation where the nation is facing security challenges.

Analysts say their interests seems to be patterned after that of the military generals who after leaving office have pursued careers in politics leading to a situation where no less than four former heads of state have expressed interests in politics.

They are Yakubu Gowon who contested for the presidential ticket of the defunct National Republican Convention, NRC, in 1993; Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari, who ruled Nigeria for 16 years out of the 23 since democracy returned in 1999 and General Ibahim Babangida whose bid did not materialize after coming out to declare.

The case of General Sani Abacha was different as while he did not publicly declare, the five registered political parties of the era adopted him as their presidential candidate.

Previous IGPs who went into politics

Weekend Trust recalls that as far back as 1998 former inspector General of Police, Muhamadu Dikko Yusuf registered the Movement for Democracy and Justice to contest the presidential elections.

Former Former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mike Okiro also contested for the senatorial ticket of the FCT. He has been reported as saying that in 2010/2011, politicians tricked him into running for the FCT senate seat, leading him to lose all his savings to their financial demands.

Former IGP Suleiman Abba also contested for the senate seat of Jigawa Central Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 general elections.

Nuhu Aliyu Labbo, a retired DIG won Senate seat for the Niger North constituency of Niger State in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003 and 2007.

How the retired cops currently in the race for the various seats will fare remain to be seen as some of them are trying to overcome challenges including not being the consensus candidate of their respective governors.

Our correspondents report on their struggles to morph into mainstream politics.

Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, (rtd)

He promised to wipe-out Boko Haram insurgency, restore the economy, build bridges and infrastructure in the state that suffered over a decade of conflicts.

“My vision for Yobe State is clear. I want a state where security is strengthened through intelligence and community partnership,” he said.

However, his ambition is being threatened by “legacy” members of the APC who endorsed the former Secretary to Yobe State Government as a consensus candidate.

But, Baba insisted that his ambition remains intact and independent of any internal negotiation or agreement to step down.

Though he remains determine to win the ticket of the party, the fact that the state governor, Mai Mala Buni and the former governor, Ibrahim Geidam, are not supporting his ambition comes as a big setback for him.

Analysts, however, say his friendly disposition towards people endears him to many.

IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, (rtd)

Adamu, one of the popular governorship aspirants in Nasarawa State has also declared his intentions to contest and become the flag bearer of All Progressive Congress (APC).

The ex-IGP, submitted his expression of interest and nomination forms, stressing focus on security, economy and infrastructure as his main agenda.

Adamu rejected the consensus arrangement after the Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule, publicly endorsed Senator Wadada, as the preferred candidate to fly the APC’s ticket.

The former police boss who is one of the key contenders in the race, said he would accept nothing short of a direct primary.

The ex-IGP spoke in Lafia, through the director, contact and mobilization of his campaign organisation, Isah Nathaniel.

All eyes are on Nasarawa APC to see whether they would allow the  “direct primary” to give every registered party member the opportunity to vote, rather than a small number of delegates, who are either controlled by the state governors or often bought by wealthy candidates during the convention.

Another factor being used against him is the issue of zoning as he hails from Lafia. But he has countered that saying there was no time zoning was an issue in governorship race in the state.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Usaini Gumel (rtd)

Gumel, also formally declared his intention to contest for the ticket of House of Representative for Gumel/Maigatari/Gagarawa/Sule Tankarkar Federal Constituency, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

His campaign also focuses on security, youth development, health, education, women empowerment and infrastructure.

Unlike the two IGPs, there are speculations that DIG Gumel has been one of the aspirants to benefit from the party’s “consensus” arrangement, but he publicly urged his supporters to disregard such, since he has not been officially informed.

Ex-DIG Ari for Nasarawa South Senate Race

The immediate past Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Mohammed Ali Ari (rtd), has declared interest to contest the Nasarawa South Senatorial seat in the 2027 general elections. Ari’s entry sets up a crowded APC primary battle for the zone, where he will face incumbent deputy governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, who has already purchased expression of interest and nomination forms.

Other aspirants in the race include the current member representing Awe/Doma/Keana, Abubakar Hassan Nalaraba, who initially declared for governor but stepped down to back Governor Abdullahi Sule’s preferred candidate, Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, before joining the senatorial contest. Also in the fray are former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Aliyu Akwe Doma, Tanko Zubairu, and former APC State Legal Adviser, Usman Mohammed Elegy, both of whom have indicated interest in the ticket.

Ari was Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2 Police Command, comprising Lagos and Ogun states.

He had expressed confidence about defeating his opponents.

“l don’t have any strong rival. My people want me because they believe in me. They believe that l will represent their interest adequately at the Senate.  I am very sure of winning the primary and the election proper,” he said.

Owoseni and the Oyo Government House

Former Commissioner of Police in Lagos and Benue States, Fatai Ajani Owoseni (rtd) resigned his position as the Special Adviser Security to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and the Executive Secretary, Oyo State Security Trust Fund.

The retired Police Commissioner, in a letter dated May 7, 2026, which was addressed to the governor, through the office of the Chief of Staff, said he was leaving the positions with immediate effect.

In the letter with the title: Letter of resignation. RE: CP Fatai Owoseni, Rtd,  he expressed “immense gratitude to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, for the opportunity to serve our state in my own modest capacity. May the Almighty God continue to bless you with good health and divine guidance to lead Oyo State to greater heights. Forward ever to our dear Oyo State.”

It is believed that Owoseni’s resignation from Makinde’s government may not be unconnected with his decision to contest the governorship seat of the state in 2027, and that he would be announcing his new party platform in the next few days.

For many Nigerians, especially residents of Lagos, the name Fatai Owoseni rings a bell. The former commissioner of police in Lagos was a tough-talking police officer who earned a reputation for confronting crime head-on during his years in service.

Shortly after leaving active service, the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde appointed him as his Security Advisor; the position he has occupied in the last six years.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Mohammed Ahmadu Deba (rtd)

Deba has declared intention to contest for Gombe Central Senatorial seat, as flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He was declared the consensus candidate of the party following a high-level stakeholders’ meeting led by Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.

However, many viewed the consensus as a strategic move to replace the incumbent senator and former governor of the state and incumbent senator, Danjuma Goje.

Ahmed, a prominent figure in the zone, holds several traditional titles. His emergence followed consultations among party leaders and key stakeholders across Yamaltu/Deba and Akko local government areas, Weekend Trust gathered.

In a statement by the Convener of “A Call to Action,” Ambassador Benjamin Abner Mamman, stakeholders described the development as a major political breakthrough for the people of the senatorial district. Political observers believe the decision to adopt a consensus candidate may reshape the contest in Gombe Central, as parties intensify realignments ahead of the elections.

Politicians will never trust police officers – Prof Musa 

A political Analyst, Prof..Aliyu Manpa Musa, who is Head of Department of Public Administration, University of Maiduguri, said the top-ranking police officers are romancing with the political elites, and have tasted the sweetness of power.

“Having passed through the hierarchy of the police now, there is a lot of romance between the police and the political elites and they understand the power dynamics.

“Some of the police are directly or indirectly involved in the politicking,  so along the line now, they have tasted the sweetness of the power. And, most of these policemen must have amassed resources and they are also exposed to ostentatious life. So, they have nothing better to do than to participate in politics.

“And basically, this is my personal opinion, most of their participation is not done in the wider public interest but personal interest,” he said.

On why governors and ‘legacy’ party stakeholders are not endorsing the former police officers despite their expertise in administration and security handling, he said, “The problem is that, because of the nature of their training and service, nobody trusts a policeman.

“No sitting governor or what have you will want a police officer to replace him. There is this mindset, mental framework of being skeptical and suspicious about anointing a policeman and how it ends. You see, because of the way and manner our politics is being played in this country, virtually every tenure limited governor wants to have a soft landing. And he wants to hand over power to somebody who will not only protect his own interest but also protect him.

“So, basically, there is this mutual suspicion, because people are afraid of what will happen after exiting the corridors of power. They will prefer to hand over power to their loyalists,” he added.

On his part, a former state chairman of the PDP, ANPP and APC stakeholder in Yobe State, Sani Inuwa Nguru, said politics is a market place for everyone to visit and transact political business without limitations.

“In my own opinion, the constitution has given the police the right to seek elective positions, they can contest gubernatorial or senatorial seats. Police have served this nation and they are eligible to contest.

“One thing I must say is that, new entrants always regret their decisions when they jump on the political ship without understanding how Nigerian politics works.

“I don’t think any police officers that served in Nigeria can win elections, because they don’t have cordial relationships with their constituents, and Nigerians.

“The slogan ‘police is everyone’s friend’ is opposite to their attitude towards people, so politics is not for them.

“Unlike the soldiers, police are used to ostentatious life, and  their suspicion attitude is pushing people away from them,” he said.

A lecturer of sociology at the Yobe State University, Alhaji Ahmadu, said both the police and military are leveraging their security expertise, national network, and financial resources to enter the political arena but voters have the responsibility for a right choice.

“It’s true that anyone who has reached a position of an IGP must have had an unparalleled knowledge of Nigeria’s security architecture and intelligence gathering.

“But, we equally need to check their integrity, honesty and performance records, because senior police officers who are embedded in old systems hardly implement transformation security reforms,” he said.  (Daily trust)