2027:  Kashim Promises Full Local Govt. Autonomy in Bauchi

From David Omokuvie, Bauchi

Former Secretary to the Bauchi State Government (SSG) and governorship aspirant on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Barrister Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim, has pledged to sustain local government autonomy if elected governor of the state in 2027.

Kashim made the pledge shortly after declaring his intention to contest for the governorship seat, lamenting that state governors have failed to implement local government autonomy despite the judgment of the Supreme Court.

“Judgment after judgment has directed that local governments should be autonomous, yet nothing has changed,” he noted.

“When we were young, local governments were functional. Our people had local government contractors who were local champions in their areas and did not even know where the state capital was.

“They would bid and submit their tenders to local government offices to supply items to schools, build boreholes, construct culverts, fill potholes, and of course, the economy was working because people were engaged.”

The governorship aspirant stated that the military truncated local government autonomy and, unfortunately, when civilian rule returned in 1979, the situation was not reversed.

“Thankfully, the Supreme Court has restored it, but governors are reluctant to implement it because of the enormous power they wield through the huge resources meant for local governments,” he lamented.

“Every governor that controls local government funds has enormous power.”

Kashim vowed not to follow the path of current governors in handling allocations accruing to local governments every month.

“Our idea of improving the economy of Bauchi State is to ensure that each and every local government receives its allocation directly and is held accountable for what it is supposed to do,” he promised.

“The local governments should maintain primary schools, create local roads, fill potholes, supply dispensaries, books, and so on.

“Everything that is to be done in the local government will be done there by the local people when I am elected governor.”

The former SSG also observed that the powers of local government chairmen have been further weakened by the creation of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

“The chairman of a local government may not even know when someone from elsewhere is awarded a contract to build schools in his local government,” he said.

“The contractor will travel from Bauchi, inspect the site, do whatever he wants, and leave. The local people know nothing about it.

“The people do not enjoy any real benefit from such projects because they were not involved, so value is lost.”

Kashim said accelerated grassroots development would be possible if local governments were allowed to execute projects themselves under strict monitoring, while the state government sets clear standards.

“We believe that with autonomy, value will be created, and economic activities will thrive in the local governments,” he said.

“These are among the things I intend to do. This is what I saw during my period as SSG and during my time with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

“We saw all the gaps that were there and intend to close them.”

He unveiled a 10-point agenda, outlining plans to transform the state through agriculture, education, healthcare, and other critical sectors.

“We have developed a 10-point agenda which will guide our administration when we come on board. We will run a people-oriented government that will lift people out of poverty and make life easier for them,” he said.

The former SSG explained that after leaving the Bala Mohammed administration, he resigned from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and formally informed the governor of his ambition to run for office.

He said his decision followed a careful assessment of the state’s challenges and untapped opportunities.

“We all know, for example, that Bauchi State has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the country. It is also among states with the highest poverty index in the North-East. That is unfortunate because Bauchi is a blessed state,” he stated.

“We are the fifth largest state in terms of landmass in Nigeria. Even if we focus on agriculture alone, Bauchi has no reason to be poor.