Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, has disclosed his intention to contest for the Bauchi State governorship election in 2027.
In an interview with Arise News, Pate spoke about his readiness to serve if political stakeholders align towards a common goal.
Pate’s entry into the race could introduce a new dynamic, particularly within the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has struggled to consolidate power in the state.
The incumbent governor of the state, Senator Bala Mohammed, who won the election in 2019 under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), will be completing his second term by 2027.
This opens the race for new contenders from both major parties, with the APC hoping to reclaim the state it lost in 2019.
APC has continued to grapple with internal divisions, with multiple factions vying for control. Prof Pate has emphasized unifying the APC in the state, which also suggests that he is positioning himself as a consensus candidate capable of bridging internal party divisions.
“We are very close with the grassroots in the state, and I think the issues facing the state are very clear. But it will not come to be if the party is not united. My singular focus is to unify APC in Bauchi to support the President in achieving what he wants to achieve. I am ready to serve, and it is also with a mission to develop our state and also to develop our country.”
The Political Landscape in Bauchi
Bauchi State has experienced a fluctuating political pattern in recent elections. In 2015, the APC’s Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar defeated the PDP, marking a shift from the dominance of the former ruling party.
However, internal conflicts and dissatisfaction with Abubakar’s administration led to APC’s defeat in 2019 when Governor Bala Mohammed reclaimed the state for the PDP.
In the 2023 elections, Governor Bala secured re-election, further entrenching PDP’s grip on the state.
Governor Bala has been critical of the Tinubu administration, especially in the ongoing debate on tax reform bills currently before the National Assembly.
If Prof Pate formally declares his candidacy, he will likely face stiff competition within the APC, as other political heavyweights, including the 2023 gubernatorial candidate Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (Rtd.), could also seek the party’s ticket.
Unifying the party will require careful negotiation and consensus-building among party stakeholders, particularly in a state where factional rivalries have weakened electoral chances in the past.
Prof Pate is a globally recognised public health expert who has held top positions, including serving as Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health and as the former Global Director for Health, Nutrition, and Population at the World Bank and in February 2023, he was appointed CEO of GAVI – the Vaccine Alliance, an organization dedicated to providing vaccines in low-income countries.
His recent appointment as the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu further solidified his standing as a key figure in national governance.
Pate may also face challenges if he enters the 2027 race, as some of the key hurdles include party unity, grassroots support, opposition from PDP, and ethnic and regional balancing.
The ruling PDP will not easily relinquish power and will likely put forward a strong candidate to retain the state.
Analysts maintain that Bauchi State politics is often influenced by regional and ethnic considerations, and Professor Pate, who comes from the Central zone, will need to navigate these dynamics to build a broad-based coalition.
