The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mohammad Ali Pate, has said Bauchi State has many reasons to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, citing federal infrastructure projects, healthcare recruitment, agricultural interventions and economic reforms under the Tinubu administration.
He said this in an exclusive interview with Arise News, where he argued that Tinubu’s reforms had improved the country’s economic outlook and strengthened Bauchi State’s fiscal position, enabling the state government to do more with available resources.
“A lot has changed from 2023. President Tinubu has now has now led this country for three years, and Bauchi has many reasons to support President Tinubu after the three and a half, nearly four years of his administration.
“Let me itemize it for you. He has completed federal facilities, four of them, revamped the health infrastructure, recruited for the health system more than 4,000 qualified graduates, among the thousands that were recruited all over Nigeria, but Bauchi also benefited from that, in addition to many other interventions, whether it’s Nelphan, whether the agricultural intervention, whether the support that he has given to the agricultural sector and other infrastructure, or the improved macro-fiscal situation of the state that has enabled the state government to do even more with the resources they’re getting, thanks to President Tinubu’s reforms.
“So it is now payback time for Bauchi. And I think Bauchi people are sophisticated enough, they understand it, and they will be able to support him.”
Pate urged Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed to defect to the APC and support Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, arguing that the president had delivered significant results in healthcare, security and infrastructure.
He said Bauchi was too important to remain politically marginal, adding that the governor should join the ruling party to help build a united and prosperous Nigeria.
“He’s on a different party. Now we invite him to join the APC and support President Tinubu. That is the best course for him. And let me tell you, it exists in the northern in Northern Nigeria, APC, which is the only one that is APM. It’s a small party. There’s no path forward. It’s not viable nationally.
“Bauchi is far too important to be a minority state in the Nigerian political equation. And I think Governor Bala Mohammed is smart enough to understand that. What we call upon him is to pivot, walk switch back home, join APC and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Let’s build a strong, united and prosperous country together under the leadership of the president.”
Dismissing reports of growing dissatisfaction with Tinubu in Northern Nigeria, Pate described them as a narrow narrative, citing government achievements in healthcare, education, agriculture and security as evidence of progress, and expressing confidence that the North would support the president’s re-election in 2027.
“It’s a narrative. It’s a very narrow narrative that is largely on the social media and among elite circles.
“There are tangible improvements. Three years ago, there was all hue and cry post removal of subsidy on devaluation, on food crisis. Those have abated, and folks have begun to see, even on the security issue, it’s abated compared to where it was, not completely resolved. Wasn’t caused by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, but he took it head-on and has been able to provide solutions.
“When the votes are done and casted on their account, that we’re confident that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win fair and square, and the North will back him up, because we do know various segments of Northern society, not the few that have particular reasons because they are, of course, angry for power. And it’s normal to do that in bureaucracy, but the president we think will do very well in the North and will work hard to ensure that he does well.”
Speaking on his decision to withdraw from the 2027 Bauchi governorship race, Pate said he chose national service over personal political ambition to support President Tinubu’s reform agenda and contribute to the country’s development.
“It all comes down to the values that one holds. I think it’s important to know that public service is a privilege, whether elected or appointed. So the choice of whether to go to my state and serve, or to continue to build on the path that this president has charted for us, to support it for a national renewal, was very compelling. And I chose the path of doing that.
“I chose the path of remaining on the national part to serve our country overall at this point, and supporting the party locally so that we have not only the party winning my state, but also contributing to the important assignment that the president is on the taking and ensuring that he also gets supports.”
Favour Odima
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