Ex-Chief of Air Staff Saddique Abubakar quits active politics

A former Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Saddique Abubakar, has announced his retirement from active politics following a five-year stint in the political arena.

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Mr Abubakar made his foray into active politics in 2021, immediately after retiring from the Nigerian Air Force. He later secured the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest for the Bauchi State governorship seat in the 2023 general elections, which he lost to the incumbent governor, Bala Mohammed.

In a short video message in Hausa to his supporters on Saturday, the retired military chief described his departure as a painful but necessary decision, offering an apology to his political associates and supporters.

“Today, with a heavy heart, I have made the difficult decision to quit politics for personal reasons,” Mr Abubakar said.

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“This decision did not come easily, considering the love, support, and affection shown to me by the people of Bauchi State and Nigerians since I joined politics in 2021.

“I sincerely apologise to all my supporters and well-wishers for this difficult decision, and I wish everyone the very best”, he added.

Political alignments in Bauchi indicated that the retired Air Marshal would recontest under the Action Democratic Party (ADP) banner.

Despite stepping away from the political stage, Mr Abubakar assured that he remains committed to the state’s progress and intends to focus on community development, particularly in healthcare and education, through his philanthropic organisation, the “Marshal Care Foundation.”

Mr Abubakar served as Chief of Air Staff from 2015 to 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari. His retirement was immediately followed by a brief diplomatic assignment as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Niger Republic before he resigned to pursue his governorship ambition.

The state’s 2023 governorship election was one of the most fiercely contested in the Northeast. However, after losing to Governor Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), his political career entered a quiet phase, punctuated by recent rumours of a planned defection to the ADP.

While Mr Abubakar cited “personal reasons” for his exit, the decision coincides with immense legal pressure facing his wife, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, who served as the pioneer Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development from 2019 to 2023. She was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 9 May.

The anti-graft agency has filed 21 charges against Mrs Farouq and Bashir Alkali, a former permanent secretary in her ministry. They are accused of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, abuse of office, and the diversion of public funds totalling approximately $1.3 million and ₦746.6 million.

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The funds were allegedly linked to social intervention schemes under the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office.

The EFCC’s decision to publish a wanted notice followed a 16 April arrest warrant issued by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo, Abuja.

The warrant was granted after both defendants consistently failed to appear in court for their scheduled arraignment.

Observers speculated that this high-profile anti-corruption enforcement has created an untenable situation for the retired military officer, making it difficult for him to continue pursuing frontline partisan politics.