The battle for the Jigawa South-West Senatorial District has entered a new phase as Accord Party candidate, Comrade Aminu Aminu, took his campaign to the grassroots, launching his bid from his hometown of Sara in Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
With supporters gathering in Sara, Aminu formally opened his campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections, signalling his intention to take the contest beyond political rhetoric and into communities across the senatorial district.
The choice of Sara as the launch venue gave the campaign a strong grassroots flavour, with Aminu beginning the race from the community where his political and personal journey started.
But behind the campaign launch is a candidate whose political career stretches beyond conventional party politics.
Aminu is a Political Scientist, journalist, civil society advocate and former student leader who has spent years moving between activism, public advocacy and political mobilisation.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Bayero University Kano, a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy and Administration from BUK and a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from the Federal University Dutse.
Aminu’s political activism began long before his entry into electoral politics.
Between 2000 and 2008, he was active in students’ unionism and represented Jigawa State at national conventions of the National Association of Nigerian Students, including conventions held in Port Harcourt and Yola.
At BUK, he served as Public Relations Officer of the Jigawa State Students’ Association, Chairman of the SUG Congress and NANS Ex-Officio.
He also served as National President of Students Independent Democrats, President of Students Movement for Good Governance, Jigawa State Coordinator of the Arewa Students Forum and Chairman of the Network for Justice, BUK, among other positions.
During the 2007/2008 NANS Convention, Aminu emerged as a prominent northern student leader and presidential aspirant of the association.
He also led advocacy efforts over the non-payment of scholarship allowances to Jigawa students.
That history now forms part of the political narrative he is taking to voters: that his campaign is built on years of grassroots mobilisation rather than a sudden appearance on the political scene.
Aminu subsequently moved into partisan politics, taking part in several presidential campaign structures.
He served as National President of the Lamido Presidency Projects and was a youth leader coordinating Jigawa State for the Goodluck/Sambo 2015 Presidential Campaign Council.
In 2019, he served as Secretary of the Jigawa State campaign structure associated with the Buhari/Osinbajo presidential campaign.
For the 2023 Tinubu/Shettima campaign, he served as Director of Contact and Mobilisation and participated in several Presidential Campaign Council and Inter-Campaign Council groups.
That experience has now been brought into his own senatorial campaign under the Accord platform.
Aminu’s campaign message centres on effective representation, youth empowerment, education, employment, social justice, community development and accountable governance.
His profile identifies youth development and education as major areas of interest, reflecting his background in students’ unionism and civil society advocacy.
He is also presenting his experience in public advocacy as part of the case for his candidacy, promising a representation focused on issues affecting ordinary people rather than political elites.
In the civil society space, Aminu has served as National President of Youth and Civil Society Advocacy for Development, where he has been involved in youth empowerment, education, anti-corruption advocacy and community development.
He has also been active in journalism, serving as Treasurer of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Jigawa State Council.
His advocacy was linked to efforts that facilitated the establishment of a ₦25m ICT Centre for the training and retraining of journalists in Jigawa State, as well as the provision of a utility vehicle for the union.
With the campaign now formally underway, Aminu faces the task of taking his message beyond Sara and Gwaram to the wider Jigawa South-West Senatorial District.
His strategy is built around his long association with students, youths, civil society groups and grassroots political mobilisation.
For the Accord candidate, the Sara rally is therefore not simply a campaign opening. It is the beginning of an attempt to turn decades of activism, political organisation and public advocacy into electoral support.
As the 2027 contest takes shape, Aminu is positioning himself before voters as a candidate whose political journey has moved from the classroom and students’ unionism to journalism, civil society and now the race for the Senate.