Sadiq Osude enters Nasarawa guber race
…Vows to expand human development projects
By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: Renowned philanthropist and entrepreneur, Sadiq Saleh Osude, has declared his intention to contest the 2027 Nasarawa State governorship election, vowing to leverage his decade-long humanitarian work to transform the state’s Human Development Index HDI.
Osude, founder of the SOS Foundation, said his campaign, themed “Service Today, Progress Tomorrow”, will build on the foundation’s achievements in the areas of clean water provision, education and skills development.
Since 2015, the SOS Foundation has sunk 60 boreholes across the state, a move experts say directly improves public health by reducing waterborne diseases, increasing life expectancy and cutting the time residents — especially women and girls — spend fetching water.
The time saved, Osude noted, enables more people to pursue education and economic activities, boosting productivity and quality of life.
The foundation has also provided vocational training to 6,000 beneficiaries and awarded scholarships to 1,200 students, targeting communities in all 13 local government areas.
These interventions, according to development analysts, are key drivers for raising HDI scores, which measure life expectancy, education and income. Nasarawa State was ranked among the lowest in Nigeria in a 2023 HDI study.
His philanthropic efforts, which began in 2015, have earned him a reputation for creating tangible change and have now laid the groundwork for his political aspirations.
A native of Keana Local Government Area, Osude has earned a reputation for delivering visible, grassroots-driven projects that cut across ethnic and political divides.
“In the past decade, we have demonstrated that targeted interventions can change lives. My goal is to take these successes to every corner of Nasarawa State,” Osude stated during the announcement of his candidacy.
Political observers say his entry into the race could reshape the 2027 governorship contest, injecting a development-focused agenda rooted in hands-on experience.
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