The Haske Hypothesis

Abdullahi Haske is not officially running for governor of Adamawa State. Not yet. But the whispers are gathering: around cafés in Yola, beneath the awnings of mosque courtyards, and in the back channels of party machinery. The man is rich, well-connected, and, as his supporters say with unfailing conviction, “blessed.”

At first glance, Haske looks like the poster child for Nigeria’s private-sector dream: self-made, deeply invested in agriculture and energy, educated in Abuja, and polished in the Lagos Business School. His companies span from rice to oil, starch to logistics. At 37 (38 by December 2025), he’s younger than most northern political veterans, but his reach already casts a national silhouette.

To his admirers, that’s exactly the appeal. They see in Haske a clean break from recycled godfathers and inherited strongmen. He is business-first, philanthropy-laced, and proudly indigenised. His foundation doles out grants, supports health projects, and subsidises farming. That’s not campaign material, but groundwork.

Still, sceptics raise a brow. Money can open doors, yes. But politics in Adamawa is no shopfront; it’s a backroom art, heavy with history, loyalty, and the unpredictable calculus of ethno-religious balancing. Does Haske know the terrain beyond his balance sheet? Can capital buy clout, or merely lease it?

Complicating matters further is the rumour that his younger brother, Abdulrahman, might be the actual candidate, a trial balloon for a Haske brand of governance. If true, it could signal a political dynasty in the making, albeit one built on corporate polish rather than electoral pedigree.

In Nigeria, however, politics remains the last frontier where competence is assumed, but loyalty is demanded. Haske may yet run. He may not. But the excitement around his name—equal parts admiration and curiosity—speaks to a hunger for a new kind of leadership.

For now, Adamawa watches. A tycoon stands on the brink. And the question, soft but persistent, lingers: will his gospel of prosperity translate into the math of the ballot box?