The Daunting Task Before APC: Selling M.A. Abubakar to a Sceptical Bauchi Electorate in 2027
As the political temperature in Bauchi State rises ahead of the 2027 governorship election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has seemingly settled on a familiar face: Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, SAN, the immediate past governor who was voted out of office in 2019. After eight years in political wilderness, the party appears poised to field him once more, framing his candidacy as an opportunity to “complete his second term.” Yet this decision raises profound questions about strategy, voter memory, and the party’s ability to overcome deep-seated public scepticism. Abubakar’s first tenure (2015–2019) ended in defeat to the PDP’s Bala Mohammed. Many voters cited perceived underperformance, administrative friction, and a leadership style that alienated key stakeholders. Critics described him as someone constantly at loggerheads with sections of the political class, civil servants, and even traditional institutions — a “Mr. Know-All” who projected an image of being above acco...