Ministerial slot: Five prominent Bauchi politicians in consideration

There are strong indications that some high-ranking members in the Bauchi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, are pushing to get the ministerial slot for the state.

There is intense lobbying in the State, many political heavyweights exploring their contacts.

It is required of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint a minister each from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to assist him in running the government.

Although, under the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, two ministers emerged from Bauchi, it will be at the discretion of Tinubu to give two slots to Bauchi.

Among those being tipped for the position are the National Internal auditor of the APC, Sen. Abubakar Markafi, a former Chairman of the Education Trust Fund, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees TETFund, Dr. Musa Babayo.

Others are Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar Retr, Capt. Bala Jibrin, a pioneer internal auditor of the party and former Governor of Bauchi state, Mallam Isa Yuguda.

It was gathered that some stakeholders have been urging the President to give Abubakar, the governorship candidate of the party at the 2023 elections in Bauchi, a ministerial appointment.

The move is to compensate him for having worked hard for the party in the state and delivering more than 25 percent votes for Tinubu in the 2023 elections.

Though Abubakar is contesting the result of the election, it’s believed the national leadership might be hatching a plan B in case he loses again at the tribunal.

“It’s at the discretion of Mr. President to appoint anybody but Abubakar is not just a member but a governorship candidate of the party and it’s a clarion call that will not affect his fortune in the ongoing litigations in court having worked so hard for the party at the 2023 elections” a source told Newsmen.

Similarly, Babayo, who was the Director of the Planning, Research, and Strategy Directorate of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign organization is also believed to be in a keen position owing to his supposed relationship with Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Another politician, who is considered a key factor, is Yuguda, a former Minister of State for Transport in the government of erstwhile President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Sources told Newsmen that the former governor who was among the first people to start canvassing supporters for ‘Jagaban’ in Bauchi is also in a prime position.

Meanwhile, it’s believed in some quarters that if the president decides to go for technocrats, Muhammad Ali Pate, a former Minister of State for Health may be considered due to his antecedents in the health sector.

“Pate is a technocrat but the challenge is that he does not have much political base in Bauchi.

“However, democracy sometimes cannot be predicted. If the government of Tinubu feels he is qualified due to the experience he has garnered so far, he may get the appointment.

“The Tinubu government may find him to be suitable because of his experience and connections. As far as running the system is concerned, the government can use him to achieve some of its aims and objectives,” a party source said.

Moreover, indications emerged recently that Pate may be heading back home to take up a ministerial appointment in Tinubu’s administration after GAVI announced his decision to decline his appointment as its next CEO

Pate had informed GAVI, an organization set up as a Global Health Partnership in 2000, which works to provide vaccines in low-income countries that “he has taken an incredibly difficult decision to accept a request to return and contribute to his home country, Nigeria,” suggesting that he might be one of President Tinubu’s ministerial favourites.

It will be recalled that Pate was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, in February 2023.

He was to take up the top global position on August 3, 2023.

However, on Monday, June 26, 2023, GAVI announced Pate’s decision to decline the appointment.