The APC governorship candidate in Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, has pledged to retain the existing chiefdoms and emirate councils to sustain the state’s social and economic development.
Mr Abubakar, a former governor of the state, dismissed reports suggesting that he would abolish the newly created 20 chiefdoms and emirate councils if elected governor in the 2027 election.
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This is contained in a statement by his former Commissioner for Information, Umar Ibrahim-sade, on Sunday in Bauchi.
Mr Sade dismissed the report as baseless political propaganda aimed at misleading the public and creating tension among traditional institutions.
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“Abubakar understands constitutional governance and the legal framework that established the existing traditional institutions.
“There is no official statement, campaign document, or policy proposal by him or the APC to dismantle emirates, chiefdoms, districts, or remove emirs and district heads,” he said.
According to Mr Sade, traditional rulers are critical to peace building, dispute resolution, cultural preservation, and security intelligence.
He said that weakening these institutions would be counterproductive given the current challenges of insecurity, farmer-herder clashes, and communal disputes.
“Throughout his public service career, Abubakar has upheld due process and institutional independence.
“His leadership philosophy focuses on strengthening institutions, not undermining them. Traditional rulers are key stakeholders in governance and development, and that position has not changed,” he said.
Mr Sade urged stakeholders to focus the 2027 election debate on policies and development plans for Bauchi rather than unverified rumours.
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He assured residents that Mr Abubakar’s vision includes strengthening the legal and administrative frameworks that support traditional institutions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Governor Bala Mohammed’s administration has created 20 new emirate councils and a chiefdom from the former five emirate councils in the state.
(NAN)
