His story
From Kakurito the ballot
An Eggon boy from Kaduna who became an economist, a two-term lawmaker and, in 2027, the PDP’s candidate for Governor of Nasarawa State.
1978
Roots
An Eggon son of Nasarawa, born and schooled in Kaduna.
10 January 1978
Born in Kaduna
David Emmanuel Ombugadu was born in Kaduna State to an Eggon family from Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.
Childhood
LEA Primary School, Kakuri
He started school at LEA Primary School in Kakuri, Kaduna, before going home to Nasarawa State for secondary school.
1995–2021
Scholar
An economist by training, from Keffi to a doctorate in development economics.
1995
Government College, Keffi
He finished secondary school at Government College, Keffi, in Nasarawa State.
2001
B.Sc. Economics, University of Jos
He graduated in economics from the University of Jos.
Year to be confirmed
M.Sc., Rivers State University
A master’s degree at Rivers State University, then the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.
To be confirmedSubject to be confirmed.
2021
Ph.D. Development Economics
He completed a doctorate in development economics at Rivers State University.
2011–2019
Legislator
Eight years representing Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/Wamba in the House of Representatives.
2011
Elected to the House of Representatives
He won the Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/Wamba Federal Constituency seat on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and later moved to the PDP.
2015
Re-elected on the PDP platform
Voters returned him for a second term, this time as the PDP candidate.
2011–2019
Committee work
He sat on the House committees on Public Accounts; Rules and Business; and Privatization and Commercialization.
2011–2019
Water, light and health care
He measured the job in projects: 1,500+ boreholes, a 15MVA substation in Nasarawa Eggon, and health insurance for 20,000 people.
“People call him Mai Wanka: the benefactor.”
2019–2024
Contender
Twice the PDP’s candidate for governor, and a petition taken to the Supreme Court.
2019
PDP candidate for governor
He left the House to run for Governor of Nasarawa State as the PDP candidate.
To be confirmedResult to be confirmed.
2023
283,016 votes
Running again for the PDP, he won 283,016 votes (43.3%) against the incumbent, Governor Abdullahi Sule.
2023
Tribunal, Appeal, Supreme Court
He challenged the result at the election tribunal, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled against him.
February 2024
A ₦195m cheque for health insurance
With the case over, he paid ₦195m of his own money to the NHIA to enrol 13,000 vulnerable residents: 1,000 in each of the state’s 13 LGAs.
Now
2027
Back in the PDP, and its consensus candidate for 2027.
Early 2026
A short move to the APC, and back
In early 2026 he joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing a leadership crisis in the PDP. Within weeks he resigned from the APC, citing internal friction and alleged manipulation of its registration process, and returned to the PDP.
2026
PDP consensus candidate
On his return, the Nasarawa State PDP affirmed him as its consensus candidate for governor, with Hon. Yahaya Usman Ohinoyi as his running mate.
6 February 2027
Nasarawa decides
Governorship and State Assembly elections take place across Nasarawa State.[1]
Sources
- 1Revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election · Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), reported by Voice of Nigeria · 2026-02-26
Sources for this page are being compiled. Until each one is attached, the figures and dates here are provisional.