Panic in APC as ex-FIRS chairman Nami emerges Niger PDP governorship candidate
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially named former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Muhammad Nami as its flagbearer for the 2027 Niger State governorship election.
This was disclosed in a press statement released by his campaign team on Saturday.
According to the statement, Nami will lead the PDP’s push to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 2027 general elections.
Nami, a technocrat and tax administrator, previously contested for the Niger South Senatorial seat under the platform of the APC.
His defection to the PDP and emergence as candidate signals a major political realignment ahead of 2027, as the opposition seeks to reposition itself across North Central.
The PDP said Nami’s candidacy reflects the party’s commitment to “competence, transparency, and people-oriented governance.”
Nami is one of Nigeria’s most prominent tax administrators in recent years.
He served as Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service from December 2019 to September 2023. During his tenure, FIRS recorded its highest-ever tax collection, surpassing ₦12.3 trillion in 2022 despite economic challenges.
Nami was credited with driving technology adoption at FIRS, including the TaxPro-Max platform, and expanding the tax net to include the informal sector and digital economy.
A Chartered Tax Practitioner and Chartered Accountant, Nami is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, CITN, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN.
-Before FIRS, he worked with KPMG and served on several government committees on revenue and fiscal policy.
He hails from Niger State and has maintained strong grassroots ties, particularly in Niger South where he made his first foray into elective politics.
Analysts say his reputation as a technocrat with no major scandal during his FIRS tenure could appeal to voters looking for accountable and visionary leadership.
With an incumbent APC administration in Niger, Nami’s entry gives the PDP a candidate with national visibility, administrative experience, and access to resources.
Key issues expected to dominate his campaign include: agriculture, youth unemployment, security, education, and infrastructure across the state’s 3 senatorial zones.
PDP stakeholders in Minna described his emergence as “a unifying choice” that could bridge the gap between technocrats and grassroots politics.
Nami is expected to unveil his campaign team and manifesto in the coming weeks.
“The time has come for Niger State to be governed with competence, integrity, and focus on the people,” the statement from his team read.
