Bauchi 2027: Captain Bala Jibril Rejects M.A. Abubakar’s Return, Warns Against Imposition by Pate, Yuguda

Paul Orude , Bauchi

A former gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 Bauchi State election, Captain Bala Jibrin, has called on residents of the state to reject any attempt by former Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar to return to power in 2027.

Mohammed is the favourite to emerge as the 2027 flagbearer on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of Dr. Bala Maijama’a Wunti, Senator Shehu Buba Umar, and Ambassaor Yusuf Maitama Tuggar

Speaking at a press conference in Bauchi on Tuesday, Jibrin also warned the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, and former Governor Isa Yuguda, against what he described as moves to impose M.A. Abubakar on the people of the state.

He insisted that Bauchi citizens must not allow political elites to “short-change” them by recycling what he termed a failed leadership, stressing that leadership should be determined by the people and not imposed through elite arrangements.

Jibrin described the former governor as “incompetent, uncaring, ego-driven, and disconnected from the values of good governance,” alleging that Abubakar had been “tried, tested, evaluated, and rejected” in the 2019 elections.

He further claimed that Abubakar’s administration is widely regarded by some stakeholders as one of the least effective in the state’s history, warning that any attempt to bring him back would amount to repeating past governance failures.

The former aspirant also accused Abubakar of failing to effectively utilise opportunities in office, including what he described as the abandonment of critical projects initiated during his administration.

He cited an alleged foreign training programme involving 38 medical doctors trained at Ain Shams University in Cairo and Alexandria University, Egypt—comprising 23 female and 15 male doctors—saying the programme cost about $3.42 million (approximately ₦5.3 billion at current exchange rates). He lamented that none of the beneficiaries were currently employed in the Bauchi State health system.

“With all these expenditures, not a single doctor from the programme is in the service of the Bauchi State Government. Our hospitals are in urgent need of personnel, especially female doctors trained to care for mothers and children,” he said.

Jibrin also alleged that the former governor demonstrated neglect toward civil servants and pensioners, accusing his administration of disputes over gratuities, allowances, and salaries, as well as strained relations with Bauchi indigenes working in federal service.

He urged stakeholders across the 20 local government areas of the state to resist any attempt to return Abubakar to office, insisting that Bauchi must not be “dragged backwards.”

“No amount of lobbying will bring back Barrister M.A. Abubakar. We must not allow Bauchi State to be destroyed again. Allah does not sleep,” he declared.

Jibrin maintained that the state cannot afford what he described as a repeat of past governance mistakes, adding that Abubakar’s return would be “a disaster for Bauchi State.”