Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has described opposition political parties that boycotted Monday’s local government elections in the state as cowards, saying they were afraid of losing the polls.
Mohammed stated this shortly after casting his vote alongside his wife, Aisha, at his polling unit in Dan Kungibar, Bakin Dutse District Head’s Office, Yalwan Duguri, Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state.
The governor said the opposition parties should have participated in the election to test their popularity rather than staying away from the process.
He said, “I can see some people are cowards. They have even checked out of the election because they knew they would lose.
“They have not campaigned. If they had listened to my advice, they should have gone ahead to test their popularity.”
Mohammed said the election was an opportunity for political parties to demonstrate their popularity among the people ahead of the 2027 general election, stressing that no party could be installed in a democratic system without the support of voters.
He added that the peaceful atmosphere across the polling area showed that the election was being conducted in a calm environment.
“The place is very peaceful, and you can see the atmosphere of serenity this morning. We appreciate God for our peace and the spirit of love that is here in this polling area,” he said.
The governor said the state government remained committed to democratic governance and ensuring that people were allowed to exercise their constitutional rights.
He also expressed confidence that the election would produce successful candidates who would govern the local governments with the fear of God.
Mohammed stressed the importance of local governments to the development of the state, noting that most of the activities affecting residents take place at the grassroots.
He said, “The local government is where everything is done because the majority of what people live on is in the local government, not in the state capital.
“That is why we are trying very, very much to ensure good governance in the local government.”
The governor said the state had continued to conduct elections without skipping any electoral cycle, adding that the latest exercise would further strengthen democratic governance at the grassroots.
Mohammed also commended the quality of candidates participating in the election, noting that some of them possessed postgraduate and university degrees.
He said the state government’s efforts to strengthen local government autonomy had increased resources and activities at the grassroots, thereby making the councils attractive to qualified candidates.
Meanwhile, a coalition of opposition political parties in Bauchi State had announced a boycott of the election, describing the exercise as a “kangaroo election” allegedly designed to favour the ruling party.
The coalition comprises the African Democratic Congress, African Action Congress, Social Democratic Party, Peoples Redemption Party and New Nigeria Peoples Party.
The parties announced their decision at a press briefing held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat in Bauchi on Sunday.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, the National Spokesperson of the ADC, Dr Ladan Salihu, said the parties had resolved to act jointly on the matter.
He added that the Bauchi State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress was also expected to join the coalition.
Salihu said the 2026 local government elections were being conducted under the 2008 Bauchi State Electoral Law, as reflected in guidelines issued by the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission.
According to the coalition, the arrangement was in apparent contradiction to the 2026 Electoral Act, which it said provided the legal framework from which BASIEC derived its authority.
“This has produced a weak and questionable legal framework and legal foundation for the conduct of these elections,” the coalition said.
The opposition parties also faulted what they described as excessive nomination and administrative fees imposed by BASIEC, arguing that the charges constituted a financial burden on opposition parties.
“The duplication of nomination and administrative charges for the individual candidates, even though the entire exercise is funded by the state government from our commonwealth, raises serious concerns,” the coalition said.
Despite the boycott by the opposition parties, Governor Mohammed said the participation of other political parties demonstrated the strength of democracy in the state, expressing gratitude to voters for turning out to exercise their franchise.
