By Olugbenga Salami
Former Bauchi State governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, has said he would serve with “greater focus, efficiency and impact” if elected for another term in 2027.
Abubakar gave the assurance after picking the All Progressives Congress, APC governorship nomination form ahead of the party’s primary election.
Speaking in Abuja during the presentation of the form by the MA Abubakar Strategic Committee, the former governor said his renewed bid is driven by collective interest rather than personal ambition after widespread calls from across Bauchi and beyond.
“This ambition is not personal — it is a collective aspiration. It is driven by the widespread calls and support I have received from across the state and beyond since the political season began,” the Senior Advocate of Nigeria,” declared, adding that his return is rooted in the desire to consolidate past gains and accelerate development in the state.
The event, attended by party loyalists, political leaders, and supporters, underscored growing momentum behind his candidacy within the APC.
“Today, I formally affirm my willingness and readiness to contest for the governorship of Bauchi State in the 2027 general elections,” he said.
Reflecting on his previous tenure from 2015 to 2019, Abubakar said, “Having served as governor, I gained an intimate understanding of our state’s unique challenges and immense opportunities. That experience has further prepared and equipped me to serve with greater focus, efficiency, and impact if given the mandate once again.”
He noted that his administration inherited a state burdened with heavy debts, salary arrears, and systemic challenges. “Yet, by the grace of God and through prudent management, we achieved verifiable progress across critical sectors,” he said.
The former governor listed some of his administration’s achievements to include: clearing inherited salary backlogs and stabilizing salary payments despite a national recession; sanitizing the state payroll by removing ghost workers; recovering looted state assets including vehicles, generators and properties; and establishing the Public Property and Funds Recovery Tribunal to institutionalize the fight against corruption.
On infrastructure, he said his government pruned ministries and directorates for efficiency and awarded contracts for over 175 km of road projects worth more than ₦20.4 billion, including the dualization and rehabilitation of key roads in Bauchi metropolis, Misau, Azare, Toro, Darazo, Jama’are, and other local government areas.
“We made significant investments in electricity and water supply, with major contracts worth over ₦6.5 billion for Gubi Dam rehabilitation, new reservoirs, pumping mains, and hundreds of boreholes, increasing access to safe water for hundreds of thousands of residents,” he added.
On education, he said his administration allocated substantial portions of the state budget to the sector, renovated and constructed hundreds of classrooms across primary, junior and senior secondary schools, trained thousands of teachers, supplied furniture, and upgraded key institutions including Government Girls Secondary School Soro and Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic.
He added that his government supported scholarships, including overseas programs in agriculture, and invested in girl‑child education and support for orphans and vulnerable children.
Abubakar said his administration worked closely with the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari to bring federal presence to the state, invested in agriculture, health, women and youth empowerment, and maintained relative peace and security despite regional challenges.
“By the end of our tenure in May 2019, we left substantial funds in the state accounts — ₦11.8 billion, ₦4.5 billion, ₦5.7 billion, and $60 million from the World Bank RAMA loan after counterpart payments — after clearing May 2019 salaries and pensions. This was a deliberate act of leaving a strong foundation for continuity.
“We are not where we want to be, but we are certainly far from where we used to be.
“These achievements were recorded under very difficult economic conditions, yet they demonstrate what focused, transparent, and people‑oriented leadership can deliver.
“If re‑elected by the grace of God, I pledge to build firmly on these foundations and deliver even more improved, inclusive, and transformative governance,” Abubakar said.
