The 2027 governorship race in Bauchi State promises to be a five-cornered contest involving the candidates of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Yakubu Adamu; the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar; the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Ibrahim Mohammed Kashim; the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Halliru Dauda Jika; and the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) candidate, Senator Shehu Buba Umar.
Judging by the antecedents of the candidates, it would not be wrong to describe this as a formidable field of contestants: one former governor, two former senators, one former commissioner for finance, and one former secretary to the state government.
By extrapolation, certain deductions can be made about these candidates. One such deduction is that none of them is likely to be a pushover. Their backgrounds suggest that each has cultivated a substantial political following within the state. In addition, each has been exposed in varying degrees to the mechanics of governance and public administration and, by that token, should understand the expectations and aspirations of the people. More importantly, each is sufficiently acquainted with the challenges and opportunities confronting Bauchi State.
