Bauchi local election: Why COVID-19 couldn’t stop us – Governor Mohammed

Bauchi Sate Governor Bala Mohammed says his administration has braced itself against all odds to conduct Local Government elections coming up this Saturday, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the State’s lean resources.The Governor said conducting the council election, which has not been done in 12 years, is a campaign promise he made to voters that must be fulfilled regardless of the paucity of funds.He made this known during the flag off of the campaign rally of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) held at Alkaleri on Monday evening.‘For over 12 years, Local Government elections were not done in this State. Whatever has made it impossible that it could not be conducted, we have broken that jinx and we are determined to conduct the election,’ Governor Mohammed said.The former Federal Capital Territory Minister assured the citizens of the State that he would devote his time and energy to fulfilling every single promise made to them when he canvassed for their votes in 2019.‘Not only that, we are praying to God to give us the ability to fulfill all the campaign promises that we made,’ he said.The Governor, who also welcomed some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Alkaleri who decamped to the PDP, said his administration has executed many people-oriented projects which were campaign promises since coming into office.He described the defectors as accomplished and grassroots politicians whose experience and expertise would be an asset to the PDP, saying his administration received them with open hands to move the State forward.‘PDP doesn’t practice politics of bitterness. What we promote is love and justice. We are united in how to come together to improve our community Alkaleri and Bauchi State as a whole and we welcome you on board,’ he said.The Governor said he is fulfilled being honoured by his Local Government which organised the campaign rally.He characterised Alkaleri as the most neglected federal constituency in the country, saying: ‘We are closest to the State capital, but today before you get to Alkaleri from Bauchi you will spend over an hour.‘We don’t have road, we don’t have portable drinking water, and we don’t have electricity. The current electricity in Alkaleri was not brought by the government. It was brought by the people of the community,’ he lamented.‘The PDP has given us the privilege to govern the State and we must therefore join hands with the federal government to ensure that the Alkerli-Bauchi road is constructed.‘What I will promise you is that in spite of the love and support you have given to the APC led Government at the federal level, if they fail to fix that rule I will do it.‘It is a federal road and the responsibility of the Federal Government to construct the Alkaleri road but it has failed to do that.’He called on the people of Alkaleri to vote for the PDP candidates in the coming election.Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of the PDP in the State, Alhaji Hamzam Korshi Akuyam, appealed to the people to come out in large numbers and vote for the party.Hashimu Yakubu Kumbala, retired Permanent Secretary, who spoke on behalf of the APC decampees, said they decided to join the PDP because they were impressed with the performance of the Mohammed administration within one year of being in office.‘We feel we should come and support you in your quest to move Bauchi State to greater heights. We are not surprised because we know your antecedents and that is why we come to openly identify with you,’