Some were deceived by all sorts of claims to show face in the 2027 gubernatorial aspiration. Others with suspected looted public funds are fooling themselves to aspire temporarily pending when the anti-corruption agencies alerts them of their crimes. Then they may hide face in shame to disappear silently from the scene.
But governing Bauchi a complex state is beyond an easy business or a tea party. It’s cumbersome, herculean and a very tasking assignment demanding quantum of intelligence, perseverance, determination, and courage. Therefore, whosoever dreams of taking over the mantle of governance from Governor Bala Muhammed in 2027, has to shudder and think of the task ahead, because the legacies of Bala Muhammed adorning the entire landscape of the state are beyond doubt, unmatchable and unbeatable by any merchant as governor.
It is the preference of the majority for Governor Bala to point the direction of his successor to guide the people before they are enticed, deceived and manipulated to cue behind a misfit that has sleaze funds for waste.
It is in the public gallery that one of those in gubernatorial self-deceiving aspirants has a pending query before the Senate Public Accounts Committee to explain the where about of about N210triilion when they held sway in NNPCL. Not only that Premium Times penultimate month, published a report that allegedly indicted same person for corrupt practices. Does Bauchi State need an already soiled finger to pilot its affairs? The answer is No.
The time to deploy experience, political dexterity and acceptability to access elective offices is fast approaching. All manner of campaign slogans and strategies are now put to test by those interested and those hired to market aspirants across party divide.
As the 2027 general election draws closer, the ruling party is not expected to exit power with empty hands. It has to strategize and maintain a stay based on its performance index. There have been a loud swirl of political activities across the state, with pressure groups, political actors and their supporters, employing all manner of strategies, subterfuge and threats to make their voices heard and ultimately outwit one another in the game of, who, gets what, when and how.
Expectedly, Bauchi State is in the frenzy and filibuster. The various political actors and interest groups have been vociferous in their campaign about whether or not the governorship ticket should be zoned and which part of the state should hold the card to succeed the exiting incumbent who has displayed prowess, passion and dexterity in service.
Perhaps, the race for who occupies the position as the numero uno has never been this baleful in the political history of the state.
Without prejudice to the political parties existing in the state, the campaign may be more pronounced and even vicious between the ruling, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) versus All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
APC and ADC are the strongest oppositions in the game, but with absence of cohesion, internal democracy, strength and strategy. And this is quite understandable being the two most recognized and vocal opposition parties in the state.
For the APC, it has two most credible aspirants; M.A Abubakar SAN, Sen. Shehu Buba Umar to battle it out. There are other masquerades in the race that wear the tags of day-dreamers.
On African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform, there are two credible aspirants; Air Marshal Sadeeq Baba Abubakar (rtd), from Bauchi North, and Sen. Halliru Dauda Jika from Bauchi Central.
One of the four may luckily have the governorship ticket of his party as the best bet for the contest if he outwits the other aspirant in the battle for the soul of their party.
Air Marshal Sadeeq Baba Abubakar (rtd) shifted base from APC to ADC. He tested the salty water in 2023 from the APC stable and now battling the odds and diffusing internally planted mines within their new party, making steady inroad to fly the party’s flag for the 2027 contest while another strong contender in the ADC fold is Sen. Halliru Dauda Jika who also contested the 2023 gubernatorial election on New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) ticket.
Any of the aspirants has to stand shoulder high with that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to brandish their political arsenals while combing the entire landscape making contacts and connections to scale party hurdle.
While a school of thought spearheaded by some APC youth leaders within the polity believe the gubernatorial slot of all the parties should remain in Bauchi South, another school of thought says there has never been a time the position was zoned to any or one particular zone since 1999 despite the 1979 gentleman agreement of rotation. It has been a free for all fight depending on applied strategy.
While Bauchi South has been the occupant of the position since 1999, Bauchi North and Central zones remain the major proponents of zoning the position in the spirit of equity, fairness, justice and sense of inclusivity.
Stripped of the hue and cry, the pro-M.A Abubakar campaign is majorly propelled by diehard supporters, renowned players, and community leaders scattered across the state and party divide trumpeting the doctrine of continuity for a better Bauchi State.
In a move that political observers, term as very audacious, they have gone a step further to urge the APC to handover its gubernatorial ticket to their choice, M.A Abubakar SAN for the expected victory in anticipation of robust governance laced with patriotic instincts, and fear of God.
Now let us for a moment assume without conceding that there has never been any zoning agreement of positions within the PDP and probably the APC. However, we are all living witnesses to how the incumbent from Bauchi South replaced his predecessor of Bauchi South in 2019 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He tested the waters, deployed wisdom and courage and scaled through without enjoying any zoning arrangement.
Others alleged that M.A Abubakar was replaced through a well coordinated gang-up master minded within the then ruling party, APC for the victory of Bala Muhammed for reasons not clear. The rest is a story for another day.
Suffice it to say that by 2027, Bala will complete his mandatory two terms tenure as a fulfilled leader who deployed courage and sincerity in service delivery beyond expectation. Perhaps, it is this indulgence that emboldens APC supporters to say there has never been any zoning agreement put-in-place. But subscribers to the zoning agreement say it is on the basis of the gentleman’s agreement that aspirants from other zones usually sprout to take the turn of their zones for the gubernatorial contest—- being the two senatorial districts yet to occupy the highest elective position in the state since 1999.
For a moment, one is tempted to assume that what the proponents of “No Zoning” are trying to say is that there has never been any zoning of the gubernatorial position to any particular zone. But let us shudder for a minute, what made it possible to zone other aelective and selective positions and leave out the gubernatorial position as the case at hand with the parties and why? Does it mean the other two zones lack competent persons to occupy the position or are not united to stand the test of time? There must be something wrong somewhere as there is no fire without a smoke.
Between 1999 and 2007, Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu from Bauchi South was the governor. He was replaced by Malam Isa Yuguda in 2007 from same Bauchi South. Then M.A Abubakar from same Bauchi South took over in 2015 and replaced by Sen. Bala Muhammed from same Bauchi South in 2019. These were not mere happenstance but an outcome of pure political strategy blended with expertise and unity of purpose that other zones, seems to lack. They were as a result of deft political moves, strategic calculations and clinical execution.
The gubernatorial slot is yet to go round the three senatorial zones since 1999 and not for any imaginary reason other than those stated. Proponents of zoning are of the view that it is in the interest of equity, justice, peace and brotherliness, for the slot to go round the zones that have not tasted the pie for almost 28 years of the Fourth Republic. But how feasible is that without working for it?
It is worthy to note that since the incumbent is from Bauchi South, there was only one serious contender, M.A Abubakar from the zone that slugged it out being the then incumbent. This did not affect the political strategy and calculation of the southern zone.
Again, let’s for a moment concede that there was never a time that positions were zoned to any of the zones and that aspirants from the other zones contested, as have been canvassed by the anti-zoning elements, the fact that it was the tickets that pander zonal balancing and sentiments across the senatorial districts that won is another reason why zoning or return to the gentleman’s agreement cannot be ignored if the polity is for inclusivity.
What is more, the state has the highest homogenous voting population with the three senatorial districts somewhat heterogeneous which I may be wrong.
So far as for the 2027 aspiration, again, the following serious and the unserious are said to be warming up for the race within their parties;-
1. Muhammed A. Abubakar SAN Bauchi South (APC)
2. Sen. Halliru Dauda Jika Bauchi Central (ADC)
3. Sen. Shehu Buba Umar Bauchi South (APC)
4. Air Marshall S.B Abubakar (Rtd) Bauchi North (ADC)
5. Yakubu Adamu Bauchi North (PDP)
6. Usman Adamu Sufee Bauchi North (PDP)
7. Farouk Mustapha Bauchi North (PDP)
8. Auwal Jatau Bauchi North (PDP)
9. Nura Manu-Soro Bauchi Central (APC)
10. Bala Wunti Bauchi South (APC)
There may be other aspirants making plans for public declaration. From the count, Bauchi North has five aspirants, Bauchi South has three, and Bauchi Central has two.
For the sake of commonsense and sense of reasoning, if the parties can apply wisdom and shun away from the usual cases of bribery and corruption associated with party primaries, the state may have the best contenders. But that may not be possible going by past antecedents where half-baked politicians with poor education and some overzealous jesters with sleaze funds may bribe their ways to carry the day as candidates, while some of the parties clandestinely, and corruptly, may impose candidates against public interest.
While it is within a people’s right to agitate and canvass positions, any politician or political party worth the name should have eyes set on how to win election. And in doing this, no one should be blinded by selfish ambition or zoning. Rather, all the options should be weighed with fair appreciation of likely scenarios.
For instance, it was rumored the APC party leadership in the state had secretly endorsed the candidature of a particular aspirant, but critics say, it was a mere illusion and pedestrian trick that lacked merit. Their APC national chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, public kicked against the issue of imposition of candidates.
If the PDP for whatever reason other than what Governor Bala says chooses to make a mistake to allow moles or political merchants bulldoze their ways to aspiration on its platform at the late hour and masquerade as reliable, it should be prepared to swim in consequences that are better imagined than said.
The PDP seems to be more determined to push forward a credible candidate as usual of it for any election with its plan tailored to general acceptance and total victory.
After the expected formal public declaration of any APC gubernatorial aspirant who may swell the number of supporters, the PDP has the advantage of power of incumbency and scorecard of Governor Bala Muhammed as its formidable launching pad to rely upon. But for sincerity of purpose and commitment to wrest power from PDP, all other APC aspirants should honorably and without pressure from any threat or frustration, step down for the best of their best for the race. They all know of their individual capacities.
From public rating, the APC has only two credible aspirants to sort it out for possible acceptance. Those rejected may not be qualified for absence of morality, but should APC apparatchik decide to play the ostrich and deny any of the two identified aspirants, a level playing field for whatever reason other than what the people want, ADC is already stationed by the gate to welcome the disappointed and frustrated defectors to its fold.
In all, the architects of the game and deciding factors are party members with major roles to play in diluting and diffusing the political tension within the parties and the polity where applicable.
Renowned American Activist and Social Crusader, Martin Luther King, Jr said: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Political leaders across the state, particularly those in opposition have overtime provided uncommon leadership and dexterity in the management of the affairs of the political parties commendably.
A fact recently attested to, by the strongest leaders of the PDP. If ever there has been any time that needs to provide strong leadership and point the way forward in Bauchi State, it is in 2027.
To those in desperate opposition to the aspiration of certain personalities, it is better to be armed with undeniable and undisputable record than opting in character assassination, uncouth statements, insults, blackmail and primitive abuses typical of village tyrants, political scavengers and motor, park touts. Issue-based campaigns are the most appropriate to convince sane minds. At any rate- the eating lies in the pudding.
Until leaders across the divide rise to the occasion, the question on the lips of elites and political observers remain; which is the direction of Bauchi State, come 2027? Definitely, the state will not be allowed to slip to the hands of political novices with absence of patriotic political education.
Muhamma d is a commentator on national issues
