2025: DR. FAISAL SHUAIB EMERGES PRIME PICK IN NASARAWA PRE-ELECTION BUZZ

LAFIA—A clear frontrunner is crystallizing in Nasarawa State’s evolving political landscape, more than two years before the next gubernatorial election. Dr. Faisal Shuaib, the former Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), is being widely touted as the consensus “prime pick” across a broad spectrum of stakeholders, according to multiple sources within political, traditional, and youth circles.
This burgeoning consensus, our investigation reveals, is less a product of early campaign machinery and more a grassroots acknowledgment of proven national service. Political analysts describe it as a “draft movement,” fueled by citizens and kingmakers alike who are drawing direct lines between state-level challenges and Dr. Shuaib’s celebrated performance of service delivery at the local, national and international stages.
“What we are witnessing is unusual for this stage in the cycle,” said Prof. Amina Aliyu, a political scientist with NationalOpen University,  Lafia. “Typically, the field is fragmented with numerous aspirants. The significant buzz around a single individual, Shuaib, this early, points to a deep public yearning for technical competence and a trusted face. His name carries a resume that resonates: crisis management, logistical prowess, and a transparent approach to public health that touched every local government in Nigeria.”
This legacy of hands-on, impactful leadership is now being framed as the exact prescription for Nasarawa’s developmental needs.
Our correspondents, speaking with sources across the state’s three senatorial zones, report a recurring sentiment: a desire to “translate national competence into local progress.” From Doma to Akwanga, and Lafia to Nasarawa, discussions in political parlours and online forums frequently pivot to Shuaib’s potential to revolutionize primary healthcare, leverage his network for agricultural industrialization, and attract federal partnerships.
“The man is not a stranger; his work touched our communities,” said Hon. Eche Benjamin, a youth leader from Keffi in  the western zone. “When he speaks of strengthening primary health centres, we believe him because he has done it at scale. When he discusses economic plans, we listen because he managed a multi-billion Naira budget with integrity. The trust factor is immense.”
While Dr. Shuaib has yet to formally declare any gubernatorial ambition, sources close to him confirm he is deeply consulting. His recent quiet but strategic visits to elder statesmen, and key socio-cultural groups across the state are being interpreted as the building blocks of a formidable campaign.
“The ‘Shuaib Buzz’ presents a fascinating scenario,” noted veteran journalist Tonia Akolo.
“It places pressure on political parties to align with a popular public sentiment or risk being seen as out of touch. It has undoubtedly shifted the pre-election narrative from vague ambition to a specific, credential-based conversation about governance.”