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From Paul Orude, Bauchi
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara has endorsed the candidate of Air Marshall Sadiqque Baba Abubakar (retd) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for next week’s governorship election in Bauchi State.
The former Speaker is a member of the People’s Democratic Party and a member of the Presidential Campaign Council of the party’s presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
In 2019, he led a coalition of political parties and interest groups in Bauchi to oust former governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar and installed Senator Bala Mohammed in 2019.
However, shortly after the elections governor Bala Mohammed allegedly reneged on all political agreements he entered into before the election.
Mohammed has no love lost with prominent citizens of the state who opposed his style of governance including Dogara and an elder statesman Alhaji Bello Kirfi, who was a minister in the second Republic under President Shehu Shagari stripped of his traditional title of Waziri of the Bauchi Emirate by the governor.
Dogara accuses Bala Mohammed of non-payment of salaries of teachers and civil servants.
On Wednesday, Dogara led a campaign team of Air Marshall Sadiq Baba Abubakar across some Bauchi local governments, including Kirfi and Alkaleri, the hometown of the governor.
Speaking to a mammoth crowd of supporters in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State on Wednesday, Dogara urged the people to toe the path of honour by voting out Governor Mohammed from office.
“We came to tell you the truth, that we need to effect a change of leadership in Bauchi State,” he said.
“I came here to enlighten you that even though your son (Governor Mohammed) is there but since he is not doing well we should change him. I urge you all to cast your vote for Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar on Saturday.”
He described Abubakar as a father who will bring succour to the people of Bauchi State.
Recalled that Dogara endorsed and delivered the APC candidate for his Federal Constituency of Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa, Jafaru Leko and the Bauchi South Senatorial District, Shehu Buba in the just concluded National Assembly polls.
