By Mohammed Babale
As the journey to the much talked about 2027 is 50% over to be precise and as credible, reputable, reliable, capable and more importantly acceptable candidate is being ransacked, it is not too early to bring to lime light the chances, features and prospects of the Five (5) movers and shakers, political giants and indispensable actors in the opposition All progressive Congress (APC), the party that is likely to produce a candidate to occupy the state’s No.1 seat in the 2027 General elections.
It is pertinent to state at this junction that the submission made in this piece is unbiased, non-partisan, non-sectional, nor tribal or religious. But the findings summarily represent sampled opinions of concerned and serious minded individuals and over (22) political groups and Associations with the singular interest of Bauchi State at heart.
- Sadiq Baba Abubakar :
A Retired (3 star) General and erstwhile chief of air staff who was the APC Governorship Candidates in the 2023 General Election. He hailed from Giade LGA, Located in the Central Senatorial District of Bauchi State, Air Marshal Abubakar (Rtd) was a military officer and administrator per excellence whose track records in service remain unblemished. His decision to give in to the call of political merchants to join politics months after his exit from service and his subsequent emergence as the party’s flag bearer after a keen and fierce primary context coupled with his principles of zero tolerance to hear-say, sychopancy, political propaganda, play of double standard and other actions he considered alien to military ways of life made it extremely difficult for the retired General to go with those who surrounded him not to talk of his campaign organization, his followers and the larger electorates.
The general therefore needs to have more time to study the game and re-strategize. - Musa Babayo (Ph.d)
Dr. Musa Babayo (Talban Katagum) is a house hold name in katagum politics and remain one of the political actors not, only in Bauchi North Senatorial District, but the state as a whole. He made several attempts to clinch the party’s Governorship ticket but to no avail.
Talba has been very supportive to both the party and his supporters for years but reasons for his inability to win the support of the central and southern Bauchi are not far fetched. The former TETFUND BOT chairman lacks the support of political big wigs within the northern part of the state from where he emerges. This culminated to the incessant emergence of aspirants from the same senatorial zone to weaken and cause division amongst both the party supporters and the general electorates. The likes of Musa Babayo will better stand as pillars and beacons to the party but not candidate for an elective post especially that of the Governor. This however is an objective not personal or selfish opinion. - Halliru Dauda Jika
Rt. Hon. Halliru Dauda Jika’s commitment to the development and sustenance of the party (APC) in Bauchi State has been unwavering. He did all he could to keep the party one despite myriad of challenges the party went through but lost the party ticket for governorship In 2023 following the emergence of air marshal Saddiq Baba Abubakar.
A one time member and speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, two time parliamentarian from the lower to the upper chambers of the National Assembly, Sen. Halliru Jika contested the Governorship Election in 2023 but lost after he defected to (NNPP) following his inability to sail though his party’s primary election. He hailed from Ganjuwa LGA in the central Senatorial District of the state.
Though, he joined politics at a very youthful age and had garnered immeasurable experience over the years, the game of use and dump, coupled with that of double standard among his supporters had immensely hindered his performances in the previous elections and therefore, in the coming 2027, no significant change in envisaged. - Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar (Esq)
Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar was the Governor of Bauchi State from (29th May 2015 – 29th May 2019) but lost his re-election bid in 2019 General Election to the incumbent, thereby changing the then ruling party, in the state to that of an opposition.
Those clamoring for his return to the political arena to complete the traditional tenure of second term are doing so to pacify the senior Advocate, to assuage his age long feeling of disappointment from those he called Betrayers of the highest order, and to make him believe that hope is not lost. The fact remains that, his defeat and that of the party in 2019 was not unconnected to non-performance, disregard for those who made sacrifices that paved way for his emergence and his subsequent election as Governor, as well as absence of Human Capital Development (HCD).
Though, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar indubitably and undeniably, makes the list of past Governors of Bauchi State, Significant portion of the population seemed to have lost hope for his return. - Shehu Buba Umar
This Young Fulani politician from Toro LGA Bauchi South Senatorial District rose from grass to grace after suffering several defeats in the political arena. Many times he contested and lost the chairmanship position in his local Govt. Twice he contested the house Representatives seat and twice he lost. But as some one who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Umar Shehu Buba contested and overwhelmingly won the Bauchi South Senatorial Seat under the banner of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the 2023 General Election after he briefly served as the care taker committee chairman of Toro LGA.
In the beginning of the first tenure of PDP led administration of the incumbent Governor. On Assumption of office, and contrary to the expectation of many, shehu’s leadership qualities began to manifest when he unveiled policies, programmes and initiatives which have direct impact on the lives of his people, aside of his legislative functions.
Sen. Shehu Buba’s leadership is both all-embracing and all-inclusive as he neither discriminate against any part of his constituency nor is he biased in the distribution or allocation of either resources, constituency projects or democratic dividends. What baffles the minds of many is the question.
“Is Sen. Buba Representing Bauchi South Only or the entire Bauchi State? What necessitates this Searching question is the fact that his Magnificence, generosity, Magnanimity, and show of concern cover the length and breadth of the entire state. Suffice to say that Sen, Shuhu Buba is the caliber of personality Bauchi State is in dare need of and as such, every workable or practicable step must be taken to make the Mujaddadi Succumbs to the yearnings and aspirant of the good people of Bauchi State.”
