Usman Adamu Sufi unveiled Alhaji Abdulkadir Alin Bababa as his running mate for the 2027 Bauchi governorship election and commissioned the party's state secretariat at a ceremony on 5 July 2026. Sufi described the selection process as rigorous, saying "we went through a rigorous selection process before settling on him," and praised Bababa's record as an experienced politician with what he called "a proven record of leading the PDP to electoral victories." Sufi told supporters the team was being assembled to govern Bauchi State from 29 May 2027, and party leaders at the event expressed confidence that the PDP would reclaim the state government in the next election.