BAUCHI 2027: NPFFT’S CAMPAIGN AGAINST MA ABUBAKAR SMACKS OF POLITICAL HATCHET JOB

BAUCHI 2027: NPFFT’S CAMPAIGN AGAINST MA ABUBAKAR SMACKS OF POLITICAL HATCHET JOB

By Umar U. Duguri 

The attempt by a group identifying itself as the National Patriotic Front for Tinubu (NPFFT) to pressure the All Progressives Congress (APC) into replacing its Bauchi State governorship candidate, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar (MA Abubakar), ahead of the 2027 elections raises serious questions about the group's identity, political affiliation, leadership and ultimate motives.

Who is the NPFFT, where is its political structure, who leads it, and what verifiable mandate does it possess to dictate the APC's governorship candidacy in Bauchi State?

These are legitimate questions that deserve clear answers.

The group has issued a politically consequential statement demanding the withdrawal of MA Abubakar's candidacy, yet its registration status, organisational structure, recognised leadership and formal political affiliation have not been independently established. Until it provides verifiable evidence of its identity and credentials, its attempt to influence a major political decision in Bauchi State deserves considerable scrutiny.

The circumstances surrounding the statement raise the possibility that the NPFFT is a mask organisation being deployed to execute a political hatchet job against MA Abubakar on behalf of interests unwilling to confront him openly. If the group maintains that its intervention is motivated by patriotism and a genuine commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's political success, it should disclose its organisational credentials and explain the basis for its intervention.

A group cannot credibly invoke President Tinubu's political interests while engaging in an intervention that risks deepening divisions within the APC without first establishing its legitimacy and demonstrating the evidence behind its claims.

More troubling is the attempt to reduce MA Abubakar's political credentials to his previous electoral defeat. Such reasoning is simplistic and politically self-serving. Electoral outcomes depend on several factors, including prevailing political circumstances, party structures, public sentiment and the strength of competing candidates. A previous defeat does not permanently disqualify a politician from seeking another mandate.

MA Abubakar's candidacy should be assessed on its merits, his experience, policy direction and capacity to offer Bauchi State a credible alternative. It should not be determined by the demands of an organisation whose political standing and underlying interests remain unclear.

For those who believe in his candidacy, MA Abubakar represents an opportunity to change the political narrative in Bauchi State and pursue a development agenda aligned with the consolidation of President Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda. The argument for his candidacy must ultimately stand on its merits, but it cannot be dismissed merely because an unverified political group has demanded his withdrawal.

Those genuinely interested in the APC's success should be strengthening the party's grassroots structures, promoting internal cohesion and mobilising voters across Bauchi's 20 local government areas. They should not be encouraging divisive campaigns that risk weakening the party before the election.

The suspicion that individuals with personal ambitions or competing political interests may be using proxy organisations to undermine MA Abubakar cannot be dismissed without scrutiny. However, those making such allegations must equally be prepared to substantiate them with credible evidence.

Bauchi State has pressing development challenges that require serious leadership, constructive engagement with the Federal Government, economic opportunities for young people and improved public services. The 2027 election should therefore be about competing ideas, credible candidates and the future of the state—not the preservation of political egos or attempts to eliminate rivals through questionable pressure campaigns.

If the NPFFT believes another aspirant has greater grassroots acceptance and stronger electoral appeal, it should present verifiable evidence to support that assertion. Political rhetoric is not a substitute for credible polling, grassroots mobilisation or a demonstrable understanding of the electorate.

The APC leadership must not allow opaque pressure groups to dictate its decisions. The party should rely on credible political assessments, consultations with its members and the democratic processes governing its candidate selection.

The fundamental question is simple: Is the NPFFT genuinely working for President Tinubu's political success, or is its name being used to advance a hidden agenda against MA Abubakar?

Until the group provides satisfactory answers about its identity, leadership, affiliation and evidence, its demand should be treated with caution rather than accepted as the verdict of Bauchi's electorate.

MA Abubakar deserves a fair political contest, the APC deserves unity and strategic clarity, and the people of Bauchi deserve to determine their future through a credible democratic process.

No political organisation, however impressive its name may sound, should be allowed to substitute unverified assertions for the collective judgement of the electorate.

Bauchi's future must not be held hostage by political manoeuvres, anonymous interests or groups whose legitimacy remains unproven.