• Borno ex-SSG pledges to implement LG autonomy if elected governor
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has directed his political appointees who are eyeing elective positions to resign before April 24, in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026 (as amended).

The governor, in a statement yesterday through his media aide, Mukhtar Gidado, asked the appointees to hand over government property to the appropriate officers in their respective ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

He explained that the directive was in line with statutory requirements and law governing the participation of public office holders in electoral processes.

The governor expressed his appreciation to the affected appointees for their service and contributions to the state’s development, and wished them success in their future endeavours.

Former Commissioner for Water Resources, Nuhu Zaki, had resigned his position before March 31to contest the Bauchi Central Senatorial District.

In a similar vein, former Secretary to the Bauchi State Government (SSG) and governorship aspirant on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ibrahim Kashim, has pledged to sustain local government autonomy if elected governor next year.

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

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

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

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

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).