Bauchi APM LG polls victory warning to opposition – Mohammed

File photo: Bauchi governor, Bala Mohammed

The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has described the victory of the Allied Peoples Movement in Monday’s local government election as a warning signal to opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Mohammed stated this on Tuesday while swearing in the newly elected 20 local government chairmen at the Government House, Bauchi.

The governor, while congratulating the chairmen and councillors, stated that their victory indicated the high level of the people’s  acceptance of the administration’s policies and programs.

He said, “The recent election has shown that the APM, a relatively new and smaller political platform than the PDP, is nevertheless a formidable political platform.

“Indeed, this local government election  is a warning signal and a daunting task to the opposition parties. They do not stand a chance of making any impact during the 2027 elections.

“The opposition has never given excuses. We have consistently worked and distributed the dividends of democracy to every corner of the state.”

Mohammed disclosed that his administration has recorded achievements in infrastructure, security, healthcare, education and agriculture across the state.

He listed the construction and rehabilitation of roads, expansion of healthcare facilities, renovation and construction of schools, as well as agricultural interventions among the projects implemented by his administration.

The governor also urged the newly elected council chairmen to justify the confidence reposed in them by the electorate, warning them against mismanaging public funds.

He said the chairmen must understand that local government administration was no longer about sharing money but about providing effective governance and addressing the needs of the people at the grassroots.

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“The position of the local government is no longer a cash drawer where we go and share money. We go there to face challenges because the required human capacity, trust and confidence of the people must be earned,” Mohammed stressed.

He added, “You should not be tempted to misappropriate or divert local government funds. With financial autonomy now granted to local governments to run their affairs, you have no excuse,” he warned.

Mohammed further urged the chairmen to work closely with traditional rulers, security agencies and other stakeholders to sustain peace and improve security across their respective councils.

He urged the council bosses to ensure that information concerning security threats was promptly passed to the relevant security agencies.

The governor also charged the newly appointed special advisers to hit the ground running, saying their performance would be measured by the impact they make during their tenure.

He assured them that the state government would provide them with the necessary tools and access to resources to enable them discharge their responsibilities effectively.

The Bauchi governor further urged the chairmen and political appointees to remain committed to serving the people, saying their accessibility at the grassroots placed greater responsibilities on them.

He said the government would continue to monitor their performances and ensure transparency in the delivery of dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

While also noting that the latest local government election was the third conducted by his administration since 2019, following previous polls in 2020 and 2024, he maintained that the ruling party had maintained its dominance in the local government elections, with the APM winning all 20 chairmanship seats and 319 councillorship seats in the latest election.