Ishola Michael
Hon Yakubu Dogara, the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives is leading a coalition of different interest and political groups against Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.
The former House Speaker, though a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has pitched his tent with the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) retired Air Marshall Sadiq Baba Abubakar.
Notable amongst political heavyweights and leaders in the coalition include second Republic minister and an elder statesman Alhaji Bello Kirfi, former Governors Ahmed Adamu Mu’azu, Malam Isa Yuguda, another PDP chieftain Senator Suleiman Nazif, Senator Isa Hamma Misau, Hon Abdulmumin Kudak, Hon Mohammed Sani Abdu, Hon Yakubu Abdullahi Wowo amongst others.
In 2019, Hon Dogara as sitting Speaker then led a similar coalition that ousted Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar of the APC from the seat of Bauchi governor.
Shortly after he emerged as Governor, Bala Mohammed fell out with most of the political stalwarts that came together and supported his election.
He was accused of reneging on political agreements reached before the election and corruption including the diversion of local government funds., non-payment of workers’ salaries, and pensions among others.
Responding to journalists’ questions about whether he has returned to the APC by supporting its candidate for Bauchi governorship, he said: “I am supporting candidates, not parties”.
The former Speaker had supported and delivered his two proteges- Shehu Buba and Jafaru Leko in the APC who were elected as Senator and member of the House of Representatives respectively.
He had said that all his candidates except the Presidential were in the APC.
For the past weeks, he has led the APC candidate Air Marshall Abubakar (rtd) campaign across the length and breadth of Bauchi State where he described the four years of Governor Bala Mohammed as a disaster to the people of Bauchi State.
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