It was in the month of April 2019 that majority of the people of Bauchi State trooped out in their numbers to declare their preference for the creation of a brand New State through unquantifiable service. They unanimously voted massively, overwhelmingly and judiciously for Sen. Bala Abdulkadir Muhammed CON to lead the state out of quandary and rebrand it for the good of all.
The unanimous decision established the process of re-rebirth, revival and reconstruction of the New State of their dream. That decision laid the foundation for the unprecedented development on display today across the length and breadth of the state.
For the three and half years in his first term, Governor Bala Muhammed dutifully and patriotically transformed the state through unprecedented roll out of people oriented projects.
Economic recession and Covid-19 scourge crippled development in most states of the federation with Bauchi as exception not through magic but robust planning. Majority of states could not even settle monthly salaries of workers, let alone, embark on developmental projects. The case of Bauchi State was different. As governor Bala says: “Bauchi state is operating a divine economy built on sound economic principles and the overriding interest of the people”.
In the last five years of his purposeful administration, he embarked on massive construction and rehabilitation of roads, schools, hospitals, reclamation of lands, agricultural development and provision of other critical infrastructure across the three senatorial districts of the state as well as the Revival of the State Economy and Basic Governance Structure.
Through careful implementation of reform policies, Governor Bala has revived and repositioned Bauchi State economy as one of the most vibrant in the Northeast sub-region, supporting corporate, medium and small businesses to flourish.
Business entrepreneurs who hitherto relocated out of the state at the twilight of past administrations for infrastructure deficit and poor security network, have since returned to the state in multiples beating the drums of continuity of good governance in tandem with the majority wish.
As 2027 election year approaches, the pendulum is swinging towards the victory of continuity from Bala’s successor who may not necessarily be one of those die-hards in desperation to govern the state ostensibly for personal gain.
From the body language of Governor Bala Muhammed, he may disappoint those he considers as fortune seekers masquerading as good gubernatorial aspirants for his trust.
As an astute politician blessed with first class brain and functional thinking and reasoning faculty, those masquerades parading themselves as his endorsed and most preferred aspirants may end up in the intensive care units for resuscitation after receipt of disappointment. He has drawn out a master plan for the good of Bauchi State and against planned retrogression by desperate politicians so hungry for power.
To Bala Muhammed, Bauchi State must not and ought not, be allowed to slip into the hands of undertakers parading themselves as gubernatorial aspirants across party divide.
With his return to power for second and last constitutionally allowed term, the state is transforming gradually to a safe haven, more developed and attractive to tourists and investors than ever before in history.
As the political journey towards 2027 continue to gather storm, who then can be rated as the most ideal gubernatorial aspirant to succeed Sen. Bala Muhammed within the political parties to attract the sympathy and support of Kauran Bauchi?
Within the PDP fold, it is dead silence as those nursing gubernatorial ambition are keeping it in their chests while silently monitoring how events are unfolding while few have gone to town trumpeting parochial lies and imaginations of being the most preferred aspirants of Governor Bala Muhammed.
In fact, one of such political novices in desperation for power despite his disadvantaged position as one who has contributed nothing over the years for the development of any part of Bauchi State in spite of the position he holds in a federal government corporation, has sponsored the trumpeting of his imagination as Governor Bala’s endorsed aspirant just to satisfy his lust for power while waiting for disgrace at the end that may serve as the right treatment for his underrating the intelligence of the people.
Within the strongest opposition fold, APC, there are few horses already on the field warming up for the race but without reliable political base.
A look at the rumored list of APC hopefuls smacks mockery of the race. On the list, there is Prof Ali Pate who serves as minister for health presently without home base and still wants to be crowned as a governor without laboring for it overtime.
Air Marshal Sadeeq Baba Abubakar (Rtd), who was dragged to the race in 2023, deceived by his own party members, extorted by his team, betrayed by his close associates and ended it all with a historical humiliating defeat of over 90,000 votes difference never experienced before, may still want to try luck in 2027.
Capt. Bala Jibrin is another tireless but focused aspirant who has suffered enough of betrayals and deceit from his own party members towards flying the flag of APC despite his esteemed position within the party as a founding member of the mega-merger, may jump to the ring for a showdown.
Dr Musa Babayo, is rumored to be another gubernatorial hopeful on the APC platform who has the requirements to stand any challenge from any of the aspirants. In 2023, he was a victim of internal party deceit and betrayal.
Sen. Halliru Dauda Jika may still be day dreaming of returning to the trench for the 2027 retrial. As a renowned political opportunist who accessed power from the credibility of others through winds of change, he may be deceived to retry a party primary despite his shortcomings and poor credentials including lack of political base even in his ancestral Ganjuwa local government area.
Sen. Shehu Buba Umar is a new breed politician with garnered experience in the rudiments of grassroots mobilization and politicking, may join the gubernatorial race in 2027 from the persistent clarion calls.
So far, within the APC fold in Bauchi State, Sen. Shehu is the only credible politician standing and attending to the needs of his senatorial zone, the constituents and maintaining a cordial relationship with the government in power despite political differences as well as attending to the needs of people in other senatorial zones of the state.
Shehu Buba believes more in delivering those dividends of democracy hitherto denied the people by his predecessors than meddling into trivial issues or settling scores. He has more time to his constituents and those in other zones than responding to inconsequential issues of no value to development.
From general assessment of his performance as a first time senator, he surpasses the records of his predecessors combined within the timeframe under review. Within just 10 months in office, he has projected his image to higher pedestal through robust representation and provision of dividends of democracy to the people as a politician for trust with higher responsibility to govern a complex state like Bauchi.
Today, minus the contributions from Sen. Shehu Buba to the survival of APC in Bauchi, the party could have either closed shop for its safety or exited the political scene through natural death going by past episodes that denied the party a reasonable victory in 2023.
In the 2023 general elections, through his political prowess, determination and garnered field experience, he emerged victorious as the only APC senator from Bauchi State which clearly shows his capacity to deliver and general acceptability within the political space.
Going by the aforementioned, what stops APC from endorsing Sen. Shehu Buba Umar as its 2027 gubernatorial consensus candidate to save others from humiliation and defeat at party primary election if the APC so wishes to make any impact in the 2027 gubernatorial contest?
With Shehu Buba Umar as a gubernatorial candidate, the fight for the exalted position may be tough and interesting depending on who carries the PDP endorsement.
Muhammad is a commentator on national issues
