Just In : 50 former Commissioners endorse APC Gubernatorial candidate in March 18 polls
No fewer than 50 former commissioners in Bauchi State have reportedly endorsed the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate for the state, Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar (retd) ahead of Saturday’s election.
Disclosing this at a press conference in Bauchi State on Monday, a former Commissioner for Higher Education in the state, Ibrahim Aminu, said the 50 commissioners were drawn from the past civilian administrations.
He noted that the 50 ex-commissioners took the decision out of their dissatisfaction with the performance of the state’s current governor, Bala Mohammed.
Aminu, who pointed out that the ex-commissioners met before unanimously endorsing the APC candidate, said: “By my side and behind me are former commissioners from different administrations and now supporting the project of Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar for the 2023 Governorship election
“These cream of citizens have met severally and today met with His Excellency Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar retired, to buttress our support for his mission to become the governor of Bauchi State.
“We are committed to this cause and we want to say that one, all of us will go back to our constituencies, towns and villages to mobilise our citizens to come out en mass to vote Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar into the Government House.
“We also resolved to also go round and see the conduct of the election so that we will not be shortchanged.
“We want to see that everyone comes out and everybody actively participates in the election without being shortchanged by anybody.
“We are also together to make sure that nobody threatens us, we will not be deterred by any person or group of persons to make sure we did not participate in the election
“We are also urging the entire citizens of Bauchi State to come out en mass and participate and elect Air Mashal Saddique Abubakar.
“We have gone round the state and every one of us will go back to their constituencies and remain there until voting and counting and also go to the ward and local governments collation centres as well as INEC office to make sure that everybody’s vote counts”
Aminu assured that the 50 ex-commissioners were committed to peace to reign throughout the election.
He said the former Commissioners pitched their tents with the APC candidate because the incumbent governor had failed.
“For example, if you go to Sa’adu Zungur Primary School now, it has become a shadow of itself. Go to many hospitals in the state now there is a shortage of drugs, and personnel,” he lamented.
According to Aminu, many primary healthcare centres in rural areas are in a terrible stage and the situation has led to the loss of so many women during delivery.
“Many communities have no water and even the Fulani have no earth dams,” he said.
“The state of the economy is in comatose. Salaries, we are all aware of what is happening.
“Most of us here are ex Commisioners are retired and the pensions are hardly paid as at when due and names are being selected.
“Even the salaries names are selected and up till today salary and pension matters still hang in the balance”
The former Commissioners, he said, have signed up and resolved to be committed to ensuring full support for the APC candidate from house to house and up to the polling units.
