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…APM Sweeps All Chairmanship Seats, Wins 319 of 323 Councillorship Positions
…Governor Hails Peaceful Poll, Warns Against Misuse of Council Funds
By Abdulwahab Muhammad, SSA Communication to the Governor of Bauchi StateBAUCHI — Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, CON, has sworn in the newly elected chairmen of the state’s 20 Local Government Areas, charging them to translate their electoral victories into competent, transparent and responsible governance at the grassroots.
The Governor gave the charge during the swearing-in ceremony at the Government House, Bauchi, where a Commissioner and six Special Advisers were also inaugurated.
The ceremony followed the conclusion of the 2026 Local Government elections in which the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) won all 20 chairmanship seats and secured 319 of the 323 councillorship positions across the state.
The remaining four councillorship seats were won by the Young Progressives Party (YPP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), with one seat each in Giade, Darazo, Bauchi and Dass Local Government Areas respectively.
Governor Bala Mohammed described the conduct of regular Local Government elections since 2019 as evidence of his administration’s commitment to strengthening democratic governance and ensuring that people at the grassroots have a voice in choosing their leaders.
He attributed the APM’s sweeping victory to what he described as the administration’s performance in critical sectors, including roads, healthcare, education, agriculture, water supply and security.
According to the Governor, more than 3,000 kilometres of roads have been completed across urban and rural communities in the state, alongside other interventions aimed at improving the living conditions of citizens.
“Your Victory Is a Call to Service”
Governor Mohammed cautioned the newly inaugurated chairmen against treating Local Government resources as personal funds, warning that misappropriation would undermine development and betray the confidence of the electorate.
He urged them to see themselves as servants of the people and to work closely with traditional institutions, community leaders, civil society organisations, security agencies and other stakeholders to identify and address the most pressing needs of their communities.
The Governor stressed that competence, integrity, transparency and accountability must define their administrations.
He further charged the chairmen to prioritise peace, unity, welfare and sustainable development while ensuring that government programmes reach communities at the grassroots.
Governor Mohammed assured them of the continued support and cooperation of the Bauchi State Government in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities.
Governor Hails Peaceful, Credible Election
Earlier, Governor Bala Mohammed congratulated the elected chairmen following the declaration of results by the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC).
He described the elections as peaceful and successful, commending BASIEC, security agencies, political parties, election officials, observers, civil society organisations, the media and other stakeholders for their roles in the exercise.
The Governor particularly praised the people of Bauchi State for their peaceful and orderly participation, saying the electorate had demonstrated its commitment to democracy by exercising its constitutional right to choose its representatives.
He reminded the elected officials that victory at the polls should not be regarded merely as a political achievement but as a mandate carrying enormous responsibilities.
Monitoring Committee Gives Verdict
Also speaking on the conduct of the elections, Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly and Chairman of the State Local Government Election Monitoring Committee, Abubakar Y. Sulaiman, described the exercise as peaceful, orderly and successfully conducted.
Sulaiman said the monitoring committee worked with relevant stakeholders to assess preparations and ensure effective coverage of the election across all 20 Local Government Areas.
According to him, five-member monitoring teams were deployed to Local Government and ward levels to observe proceedings and report developments.
He said security agencies, electoral officials, political parties, civil society organisations, election observers and voters all contributed to the peaceful conduct of the exercise.
The Speaker disclosed that about 40 civil society organisations, alongside national and international observers, monitored the polls and gave encouraging preliminary assessments of the exercise.
He also revealed that the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) separately instituted legal actions seeking to halt the elections, but the courts declined the applications to stop the exercise, while the substantive matters were adjourned to dates determined by the courts.
Sulaiman congratulated the winners and urged them to govern fairly, responsibly and inclusively, stressing that electoral victory must translate into service to the people.
He called on political parties and other stakeholders to maintain peace and pursue any grievances through lawful and constitutional channels.
Chairmen Pledge Responsible Leadership
Responding on behalf of the newly elected chairmen, the Chairman of Ningi Local Government Area, Yahuza Adamu Haruna, described their election as a serious responsibility and pledged that they would work to justify the confidence reposed in them.
Haruna thanked Governor Bala Mohammed and the people of the state for the opportunity to serve, promising that the chairmen would protect the integrity of their offices, improve the welfare of their communities and uphold the dignity of Local Government administration.
He assured the people that the newly inaugurated council leadership would strive to deliver responsible governance and development throughout their tenure.
With the inauguration completed, attention now shifts from the ballot box to performance, as the 20 council chairmen face the task of translating their mandates into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens across Bauchi State.
Published by Alphapressmedia.com
